Happy week 11, Pioneers! April is right around the corner, which means the end of the semester is right around the corner. We are so proud of all the work you have done and hope that you finish the semester strong. Be sure to schedule for classes for next semester if you have not already done so.

As mentioned in the news section this week, the downtown McDonald’s is set to close by the end of April. While McDonald’s may not be the best choice for dining, it is undeniable that it is one of the more affordable places to eat near campus and downtown in general. That factor alone is unacceptable, especially when you consider that one meal could easily be upwards of 15 dollars at the cafe. Restaurants in the area rarely offer student discounts anymore, and with the current state of inflation, it has become very difficult to eat out and buy groceries. On top of that, work study hours being heavily reduced and the program itself ending soon does not help this situation for many students.

We do not need to preach to the choir about how stressful it is to be a college student or how hard it is to balance classes but also try to feed yourself. Food insecurity is a real problem, and more needs to be done to address this issue by Point Park and by local restaurants. We have mentioned the Pioneer Pantry before. It truly is a great resource, but canned goods and the occasional fresh fruit and vegetables are not enough to get by. No student should have to “just get by” as well. A healthy diet improves energy, memory and focus and helps prevent you from getting sick. A healthy diet should be easily accessible for us and for all.

We see nearby campuses like Pitt that get discounts at nearby restaurants and have several on-campus dining options. Yes, they are a much larger campus, but the least the Pittsburgh community could do is give Point Park students discounts for restaurants in Market Square and in between campus buildings. Point Park and Pittsburgh need to do more. We truly are not asking for a lot.