Heather Madden
Sep 27 2006 12:00AM
Before he changed his habits, Thomas Hale, 19, skipped breakfast for a cup of coffee. Between classes he would indulge in the powdered donuts at the snack machines, and for lunch he enjoyed cheeseburgers and fries. Pumped full of soda and carbohydrates all day, he would go to both school and work and feel miserable at the end of the night.
Was Hale so tired because of his lifestyle, or was it because of his health habits?
No worries, now Hale drinks plenty of water instead of soda, and waits for “the right time” to fully change his eating habits.
He is not alone. The PJC campus offers a variety of junk food for all students to consume-but not because they are sinister, but because the students want it.
“We’re here for the students-we give them what they want,” Donna Ward, cashier of the Pirate’s Galley, said.
“Students love the hamburgers and chicken tenders,” Ward said.
In fact, they are the best sellers at Pirate’s Galley. But the salads, being the healthier option, are not selling too well at 2-5 a day.
So, why do so many students insist on eating food they know is not healthy?
Willy Jones, a fellow PJC student said, “Most people are broke and
lazy.” But Jones also said that he was tired of fast food.
Chris Caddell, 19, said, “I’ll eventually try to cut back, but I work at a pizza place-there’s food everywhere!”
Some students, however, do make an attempt to eat healthier.
“I cook all my food and bring it everyday. I’m not spending money on stuff filled with grease,”Will Dalfonso, 18, said.
Dalfonso also says that he observes students looking at the water machines, knowing it’s a better option, and yet they continue to opt for the soda machines.
Hale asked, “How do we break this vicious cycle?”
Dalfonso suggested offering healthier food options on campus.
“They should offer fruits and nuts in the snack machines, and have more water machines,” Dalfonso said. He also mentioned that a variety of sport activities for all students would help.
But, students cannot change until they make the effort to.
Caddell said, “With a lot of junk food out there, it’s hard to commit to nutrition.”