Students walk toward their dormitories with plastic bags stuffed to the breaking point. A giant red cart is being pushed up Neil Avenue loaded with boxes.
For many students, this sight would spur nostalgic memories of Move-In day at Ohio State. But for other's it could only mean one thing: The end of the quarter is here, and someone has swipes.
"People just go crazy at the end of the quarter trying to get rid of their swipes," said Michelle Neely, a junior in psychology. "If you go to any of the dining places for some groceries or last minute snacks, you might as well prepare to leave with nothing."
During finals week, shelves at these dining venues are cleared of all inventory every day, and no dining place on campus succumbs to the clutches of hungry students with swipes than the Marketplace on Neil Avenue.
LINDSEY SWANSON/THE LANTERN"I've seen students park in front of the building and just go in and swipe cases of water and Powerade and boxes of groceries until they fill up their cars," said Albany Ballard, a senior in education. "It's just ridiculous what you see people walking out of there with. Seriously, what can someone do with five jars of jelly, three bottles of hot sauce and a case full of oatmeal?"
However, for college students, getting food is more often an art than a science, and being bulked up is often better than being bare.
Meal plan options for the 2008-2009 school year fall between $970 (100 swipes) and $1525 (250 swipes), And when hard times strike, students are willing to do anything to save their money, or at least make the most of it.
"You can't reuse any of our swipes after the quarter is over, so if you don't use them you could end up losing a lot of money," Neely said. "My freshman year I had about 50 swipes left at the end of fall quarter, but after I found out how much money was going to waste I started using mine as well."
High food costs hit students hard
Although inflated tuition rates cause many to panic, many students are most concerned about the rumbling in their stomachs. The rising cost of food is spelling out trouble for college students on already tight budgets.
OSU offers a variety of options for students, including commuter and traditional dining plans, to make dining on campus more affordable and convenient.
However, catering to the demands of students at a time when the economy is in turmoil comes at a price; one which students will eventually have to pay. All freshmen are required to purchase a meal plan from the school, so many of them may be spared the shock of seeing a 16-ounce bottle of apple juice ring up to $1.75 when they use swipes; however, others, particularly those who live off campus, are not so lucky. For these students, food deals become harder to find.
"I wouldn't even think of buying anything to eat on campus right now," Ballard said. "Everything seems so overpriced and I really don't feel like I'm getting my money's worth."
The cost of menu items is going up, and options for affordable entrees are decreasing. However, OSU commuter meal plan options are available for a fraction of the actual cost.
OSU is not the only school where students are hard-pressed to purchase food. According to reports by the U.S. News and World Report, food stamp use increased 44% in August for students in Florida.
Schools across the nation are becoming hard-pressed to keep expenses down, and efforts to provide convenient food service are becoming a high priority.
In order to combat the throes of hunger pangs, many students engage in activities that will allow them some slack in their wallets. Some of these options include using coupons, buying store brand products and stocking up on all their groceries during one trip.
Lisa Scott can be reached at scott.917@osu.edu.
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