You pulled yet another all-nighter. This constant college studying is getting tough, and the only thing that will get you through that dreaded morning class is that one glorious (and very much awaited) cup of coffee; nothing else is capable of uplifting your spirit and giving you energy to survive the rest of the day. Given that you live in Massell Quad, you run to the closest eating locality: Einstein Bros. Bagels. You buy that steaming hot cup of coffee and run to class. Your friend, who lives in East Quad, pulls the same all-nighter, but instead of running to Einstein to buy that cup of coffee, she runs to the Provisions On Demand Market. The only difference is that you paid $1.99, and she paid $1.59 for that same cup of coffee. If you have the same morning class three times a week, in the course of only one month you will have spent approximately six more dollars on coffee than your friend.

It might sound ludicrous to hear that there is such a significant price discrepancy between two almost identical items bought on campus, but the truth is that it happens a lot. Not only can we see it in items such as coffee but also in the two main dining halls, Sherman and Usdan. A meal's worth in Sherman is unlimited, but in Usdan you better think twice when serving yourself every additional ounce, because it will cost you. Even if you decide to use up your meal at the P.O.D. Market or Quiznos, you will have certain specific options regarding what you can buy with a meal, and ordering something insignificant like a Coke to go with your sandwich costs extra.

Not only are the prices inconsistent and expensive at different localities on campus, but there are also various limitations as what one can get. Why is it that at Quiznos you can buy some sandwiches but not others and at Einstein some salads and not others?

The answer I got at the Dining Services Forum last Thursday from Alex Schneider '12, Dining Services committee representative, was that each firm establishes what is C-Meal approved based on what is convenient for the individual firm.

However, from the student point of view, the options they give us are extremely illogical and unhealthy. For instance, for the equivalence of one meal at Einstein you can get up to six bagels, but you can't get so much as a single fruit cup. The reason for this is that it costs the firm much more to make a fruit cup than to make a bagel or sell a piece of fruit.

Nonetheless, I think we can all agree that after eating six bagels for lunch, you should head directly to the gym and stay there for a good long while. But seriously speaking, with all the advertisements and information about eating right and staying healthy, these localities aren't doing much of a job to help us. Let's face it, as college students, a) we're broke and b) we have newfound liberty that allows us to do whatever we want.

Thus, as a form of rebellion, students will stop focusing on eating healthy meals and eat what is most convenient, or in other words, whatever is cheapest. In the long run, this practice can bring about various health-related consequences that will certainly disturb our lives.

One of the most commonly heard of consequences of unhealthy eating in college is the freshman 15. This "myth" was recently proven to be more of a reality than you might expect. A study by Utah State University found that one in four freshmen gains an average of 10 pounds during the first semester of college. And as it appears, the dining options we have here at Brandeis are ideal to help make our population a perfect model of these statistics.

All in all, if Brandeis Dining Services were to standardize the price inconsistencies around campus and reconsider adding healthier options as part of meals, people would be much better off. To begin with, students and faculty would be able to buy products anywhere without having to commute to the other end of campus looking for more affordable prices. Secondly, if the meal plans enhanced their options, people in general would be healthier and lead more contented lives. Moreover this change would help those dreaded freshman 15 become only a "myth" here at Brandeis.