BY MICHELLE MAISONVILLE
Every student must grab their books, pack their backpack and set their alarm clock prior to heading to school.
For many this is the first time they have lived on their own or with roommates.
This means most students have to buy their own food and make their own meals. For some students this is no big deal, but for others this means they start reaching for quick and convenient snacks and meals over ones with nutritional value.
With lots of food options on campus, such as Tim Hortons, Pizza Pizza, Subway, Be Right Burger and plenty of vending machines, it’s easy for students to just grab food from there instead of going home to make a meal.
Beth Hoare, a first-year business administration accounting student, said she’s currently living with her boyfriend and her parents, all of whom are vegetarian.
“It’s really hard because I like meat so it’s hard from that aspect, so I’d have to go out if I want a burger,” said Hoare.
She also said healthy foods are typically more expensive so often she will reach for unhealthier food simply because it’s cheaper.
Hoare said she brings her own lunch and snacks to avoid reaching for all the unhealthy options available on campus.
Josef Birkes, a second-year woodworking technology (co-op) student, said point blank students are lazy.
“No one wants to come home from a full day of school and cook a full-course meal,” he said.
He said he tries to stick to cooking basic foods that don’t take a long time and are easy to make.
Lyndsay Enright, Conestoga’s on-campus nurse, agreed with Hoare that because healthy food is more expensive students reach for the cheaper option.
“Fast food is cheap. Students don’t have a lot of money so they make choices based on cash flow,” she said.
“You’re in a hurry, you grab a bag of chips or you’re running somewhere and you grab a doughnut or a croissant from Tim Hortons because they’re cheap and they’re quick.”
Some tips Enright gave to stay healthy this school year are to make sure you’re eating fruits and vegetables throughout the day and to pay attention to what you’re eating.
“If you’re always eating something that is prepared by someone else you don’t have control over what’s going into the preparation” said Enright.
She also said to avoid foods that give you a quick energy boost but make you crash later, like energy drinks.
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