Reading textbooks, writing papers, practicing speeches and late nights. These things describe the average college student’s experience. The most popular item on this list is late nights. The students at John Brown University understand the struggle of late nights, and not just the struggle of lack of sleep, but the lack of options for food during those late nights.
The students of JBU need a late night food option, not only to keep their spirits up under the pressure of school, but to ensure they do not go hungry. The California Café serves JBU well during its business hours, but those hours end at 10:30 p.m. which, for many students, marks only the beginning of their night.
Students who plan on experiencing a late night of school-work often depend on The California Café as their last resort, but the “Cali” does not stay open late enough for students to truly take advantage. Students often find themselves at McDonalds or Taco Bell in search of a late-night snack because no late-night option exists on campus. Students seek out these food options because the stress from their school causes them to develop late-night eating habits to help maintain those stress levels.
In his article from the Washington Post, Rob Stein explains that stress leads to eating and gave scientific backup for his claim saying, “Food with lots of sugar, fat and calories appears to calm the body’s response to chronic stress.”
Students who become stressed from school and responsibilities deserve a snack during the late hours of the night. An on campus late-night food option would provide easy accessibility to food, especially for students who do not own a driver’s license or a car.
In order to establish a late-night food option that is available on-campus, the JBU staff must be informed on this matter. Students need to voice their opinion and perspective so the staff understand the situation and begin applying changes to campus.
Late-night food options on campus would provide students, who maintain a high stress level,
an easily accessible means of late-night snacks that could lower their stress. Keeping the Cali open later would allow students, who lack transportation to places like McDonalds or Taco Bell, a viable place to eat.