Jen Campisi

Features Editor

Eggs, bacon, grits, sausage…but only until 11 a.m.

Many students have cried out for continuous service for breakfast and discussed a proposal for a breakfast extension. On weekdays, breakfast is served in Upper Commons between the hours of 7 a.m. and 11a.m.—which most times ends up being between 10:20 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. if the breakfast rush has hit and devoured it all. On weekends, breakfast foods are available up until closing at 2 p.m. for the brunchers and late-risers.

An extension of breakfast hours on this campus will undoubtedly benefit students. According to research findings published in the May 2005 “Journal of the American Dietetic Association,” breakfast can improve cognitive function, especially the memory skills needed for exam taking, in children and adolescents. This benefits academic performance and may motivate students toward better attendance.

Healthy morning meals improve blood glucose levels and mood, allowing students to concentrate more fully and preventing the tendency to overeat at later meals.

A study performed at Blinn College shows that students who ate breakfast received better grades on their exams. According to the study of 1,259 college students, more than 70 percent of the students who ate breakfast passed an exam with a C grade or better; meanwhile, only 50 percent of students who did not eat breakfast passed.

Opposing arguments claim that students who cannot make it in time to Commons can always eat snacks or cereal at their dorm, but if a student is paying for swipes at Commons, shouldn’t they have the right to access a full, warm meal rather than a plastic baggie of Cheerios?

While the waffle machine is available continuously until dinner, the Classics station withdraws their pans of eggs fairly early, much to the disappointment of many students. It’s unfortunate that those who suffer through early morning classes without a chance at breakfast are not able to fuel up after their class because breakfast has already been discontinued and lunch options are already hitting the warming tray.

The inconvenience of breakfast foods not being available for those who crave them is relatively an easy fix. A suggestion? Instead of opening at 7 a.m., one option could be delaying opening an hour later and staying open an hour past the scheduled breakfast halt? After asking nearly forty-five individuals across campus, spread across all years, most say that they would be more inclined to visit Upper Commons in the later morning rather than at the 7 a.m. opening.