Every Brandeis student, at some point in his or her time here, has been on a meal plan, and I would imagine that most of you have noticed the myriad of problems involved with them. As a first-year student, it has not taken me long to become dissatisfied and somewhat outraged by these plans. Given the fact that I am required to purchase a meal plan, I would expect the University to want students to get food conveniently and at a good value. I have since realized this is not the case.

Meals are inflexible both in what they can be used for and the times during which they can be used. In the Usdan Student Center, they often do not cover nearly enough food to constitute a filling meal.

Points, too, are a complete rip-off. They are worth 1 dollar, but each point costs more than a dollar. The idea that I lose money with each point I use infuriates me, and I would imagine it bothers quite a bit of you as well, especially given the price of tuition.

Considering the activist student body we have here at Brandeis, I was stunned that there was no major lobbying until the Justice League put ballots in student mailboxes on March 14.

I was pleasantly surprised to see that someone had taken up a cause that affects students so directly, and once I received the ballot, I filled it out immediately and put it into the boxes that the Justice League had put in the mailroom. However, the people around me did not share the same outlook toward this opportunity to change a major problem that affects each and every one of us on a daily basis.

I expected to see a wave of eagerness to improve Brandeis' food services for present and future students, but I was instead shocked and taken aback by the defeatist attitude of the people I overheard.

Students were pessimistic and most were convinced that there was no way that such a thing could actually persuade the powers that be to change the meal plan or modify Brandeis' arrangement with Aramark. But if we, the students, do not speak up for ourselves, then who will?

Many of you spend hours volunteering for advocacy groups and politically motivated clubs in an attempt to influence the rest of the world. The environmentalist clubs that are constantly putting up signs telling us how to cut down our carbon footprint certainly do not have this defeatist attitude nor do those of us who heed the tips they offer us.

Others among us campaign for humanitarian causes worldwide in an attempt to improve the lives of people across the globe. I very much doubt that anyone involved in those groups says, "Oh, Darfur is so far away, so we might as well not even try helping the people there." Brandeis is populated by optimistic students who truly believe that we can have a positive impact on the world around us.

With this kind of student body, it stuns me that so many of us are so negative about our ability to create change. If Brandeis students can be part of groups that influence the outcomes of elections and help to improve the lives of those less fortunate than us, it is ridiculous to state that we cannot improve conditions for ourselves on our own campus.

As a student body, it is our duty to each other and future Brandeisians to improve everything we can about the University. Fortunately, the Justice League has begun to move us in the right direction by giving us an outlet with which we can voice our discontent. Every single one of us who truly cares about having fair food services that give students decent value for their money ought to sign up for the Justice League's campaign.

If you do not want to commit to that extent, simply take note of things that you feel are unfair and let our elected officials, Student Union representatives, know about them. When you notice how ridiculous it is to charge 3 dollars for a cup of apple juice, bring it to the attention of those who have the power to make changes instead of simply complaining to your friends. Such actions take minimal effort, but if we all do our part, we can have a drastic effect on student life.

So, Brandeis, I ask you: Are we merely all talk, or is this truly a campus of dedicated activists committed to bettering everything we can? The decision lies with you.