Vending Machines

Do We Have A Vending Machine Crisis?

"The vending machine ate my money! What do I do?"

A grief stricken man in front of me looked deep in my face for an answer.

"I'm sorry. This is my first day at Mount Royal so I really can't be much help to you".

I walked away pleased that my dollar twenty-five was still imbedded in my palm. With five minutes until my first class and stomach still growling, I searched franticly through EA and finally found the Doritos I had been longing for. I knew I should have had something nutritious and filling for supper but being 6:00 p.m. the cafÐ"© was closed and Whykam just seemed so distant.

Why is losing a dollar more of a concern than the unhealthy lifestyles we give in to? I decided to thoroughly look at the vending and soda machines at Mount Royal for anything that would be approved as a decent healthy snack. What I found was water.

There have been numerous changes and limitations of vending food in elementary schools in order to control childhood obesity. The funny thing is that these discussions only address protecting children under the age of 18. Have they forgotten about our generation? Have we been far to accustomed to consuming junk food? Is it too late for us?

The junk food and beverage industries believe students in college are responsible adults. Students have the right to choose between junk products and the healthy alternatives. So myself, that wise knowledgeable adult, walked back to the machine, looked through the glass, and failed to read any nutritional information. I did happen to notice, "extra cheesy" and "now with caramel" on the bright packaging. So how can we choose between right and wrong when the right food has clearly vanished?

There are four contributing factors why the students at Mount Royal feed into these temptations: no time (busy schedules), lack of money, laziness and simply the addiction.

From personal experience, juggling four courses, a full-time job, family, dancing and a social life can be tricky. Some students may experience side effects such as snoring in class, bulging eyes, missing hair, and extreme consumptions of caffeine. The idea supporting eating right, being fit, and staying healthy is important but still pushed aside. The time that we spend

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