Have you ever been super hungry during your passing period, but you couldn’t get a snack? Of course you have, because the vending machines are closed until 2 p.m. I think the school should open the vending machines for periods 3-7 . Those are the lunch periods, so it makes sense to be able to eat during that time. In the lunch room, the chips are 1.75 and the candy is 1.50. However, in the vending machines, almost all the chips are 1.50. Those 25 cents add up over time, and the food in the vending machines is definitely better.

Students also have the option of buying food from fundraisers like walking chip or candy sales. But, these fundraisers have the potential to crowd the hallways just like the vending machines allegedly do, so why are fundraisers allowed at any time but vending machines are not? Unlike fundraisers, vending machines are there to be used every day. Students can not rely on fundraisers because they do not happen every day. Also, vending machines have a bigger variety compared to fundraisers. The machines have chips, ice cream, chocolate, candy, granola bars, gum and drinks.

Lots of students are hungry throughout the day, and not being able to have a quick snack is a letdown,  especially if students have study hall and can not get a snack before. There are so many vending machines throughout the school, yet students aren’t even able to use one until 1:45 p.m. I hate when I go to my 7th period lunch and cannot go to the vending machine until after the period is over.

A lot of the time students skip breakfast, like me, and cannot make it to the breakfast that is provided in school. Their only other option is to go to the vending machine, which are locked.

Niles West is trying to get students to get to class on time, stay in class and avoid crowding the hallways, and they’re doing this by making the vending machines unavailable.  These problems have not fully been solved as a result of vending machine restrictions, so for next semester, I believe West should open the vending machines and see if there is an increase in students being late to class, missing class, and crowding in the hallway. I think it is inconvenient for everyone at West to struggle with this issue.