‘You can only eat so much Subway:’ UAA students want more from on-campus food options

As a part of TNL’s investigative series into food availability on campus, we approached people on campus and asked them their opinions on campus dining options. These interviews were conducted with sixteen students, and in no way were meant to be a scientific sample.

For some students, when asked about food options, the response was quick, “There aren’t any.”

After that, many students’ thoughts turned to Subway: 

“I wish it was more than Subway.”

“You can only eat so much Subway.”

And, “Subway closes too early,” were some of the most common statements. 

For one student, who took evening labs, places like Kaladi Brothers or Subway were out of the picture because they closed too early in the day. Instead, they were stuck with vending machines as the only food option when they were on campus.

Ify Halim thought that there were more options on campus when coming to UAA, and was disappointed to find out that the taco place in the Student Union actually wasn’t a thing. 

“Anytime I want lunch, I leave,” said Nicole Martinez. Some students search along Tudor or Muldoon Road to find places to eat instead. 

Oryan Balfe said that his coworker was gluten free and couldn’t eat processed sugars, making eating on campus nearly impossible for her. 

One student was appreciative of places on campus that provided free food and snacks for students such as Multicultural Student Services, the Pride Center, and the Wellness Wagon. 

Some students said that they feel like the food options at UAA have gotten better, and there are more options than there used to be. One residential student said that they appreciated the new Late Night hours at the Gorsuch Commons. 

Generally, the latest meal that the Gorsuch Commons serves is from 4:30 to 7:30. The new Late Night hours now let students eat from 9:00 to 10:00 on Sundays and Mondays. The student said that they worked evenings last semester, forcing them to skip dinner. They said that these new hours gave more options to students, though they wish the hours were still expanded. 

Some students felt that the food options on campus were “pretty good,” and they appreciated that groups that do outreach across campus would often offer free food or snacks. They also felt that they could buy good food from Seawolf Grounds in the Student Union.

One student who identified themselves as not living on campus felt similarly, since oftentimes snacks were what they needed. 

One student named A.L. wished that information about food assistance groups like the UAA Food Pantry was more visible. 

This is a part of an ongoing series about food availability on campus. The Northern Light will be following up with more stories about food.