The opportunity I would like to pursue: I believe that it would be beneficial for the University of Florida students to have access to a frozen foods vending machine and heating stations on various areas of campus.
The Who, the What, and the Why:
Students, staff, and guests would benefit from this opportunity. Let's take a look at each group:
Students would benefit from a heating station because it would provide them with the opportunity to save money by bringing a meal from home. By the same token, if they do not bring a lunch but would still like to enjoy a hot meal, they can purchase one from the accompanying frozen foods vending machine without having to wait in line at the cafeterias or various restaurants on campus.
Guests would have the same opportunities mentioned above.
Staff members would have the same opportunities as students but those of them who work in restaurants would potentially see a decrease in customers during rush hours which would help them to be more efficient and decrease the risk for making a mistake on a customer's order.
The university as a whole would benefit financially due to the monetary gain made by the frozen foods vending machine should it be successful but also the students would be happier with more opportunities to choose from when it comes to food options.
The Interviews
My interviewees all said: "that's a great idea" and would love to see this idea put into play. Beau said she would love to see more heating stations around campus. Staff have access to several microwaves in their break rooms, but she only knows of three locations on campus where students can heat their food and, if you don't have classes near those buildings, then it's quite a walk. She said that the frozen food vending machine would be great but the food would have to be cheap enough for college students:
"I'm not paying $6.00 for a Starbucks sandwich!" Beau told me. "That's too expensive. And many students are becoming more aware of how to make healthy decisions when it comes to food. But we're all desperate and I think we would pay $2.00 for a frozen meal. It beats making the trip to Reitz Union for overpriced junk food."
The four other students that I spoke to also said that it would be very convenient and save them a lot of money if there were heating stations on campus. One of them said that hygiene was a concern to them and I agreed. When I suggested that it might be a good idea to have sanitation wipes near the heating station, she said, "yes! We can clean up after ourselves! But the three microwaves on campus don't have anything for us to clean up with, so they get pretty disgusting."
Another student said the line for the single microwave in Turlington was quite long, so she and another student heated their lunch up together. It was a quick solution, but it's inconvenient and certainly not a permanent one.
Summary
I learned that many students were not fully aware there was a need here before I asked them about it. They never thought there might be an alternative to eating out or starving. But when presented with this option, they all agreed it would benefit the student community immensely. Not all students will need this, but many of them would be grateful. I also learned that sanitation could be an issue if students are not presented with a means of cleaning up after themselves - but also if students simply choose not to clean up after themselves.
Overall, I think this would be a great opportunity to help students and guests make healthier decisions, but also make life a little more convenient.
The Who, the What, and the Why:
Students, staff, and guests would benefit from this opportunity. Let's take a look at each group:
Students would benefit from a heating station because it would provide them with the opportunity to save money by bringing a meal from home. By the same token, if they do not bring a lunch but would still like to enjoy a hot meal, they can purchase one from the accompanying frozen foods vending machine without having to wait in line at the cafeterias or various restaurants on campus.
Guests would have the same opportunities mentioned above.
Staff members would have the same opportunities as students but those of them who work in restaurants would potentially see a decrease in customers during rush hours which would help them to be more efficient and decrease the risk for making a mistake on a customer's order.
The university as a whole would benefit financially due to the monetary gain made by the frozen foods vending machine should it be successful but also the students would be happier with more opportunities to choose from when it comes to food options.
The Interviews
My interviewees all said: "that's a great idea" and would love to see this idea put into play. Beau said she would love to see more heating stations around campus. Staff have access to several microwaves in their break rooms, but she only knows of three locations on campus where students can heat their food and, if you don't have classes near those buildings, then it's quite a walk. She said that the frozen food vending machine would be great but the food would have to be cheap enough for college students:
"I'm not paying $6.00 for a Starbucks sandwich!" Beau told me. "That's too expensive. And many students are becoming more aware of how to make healthy decisions when it comes to food. But we're all desperate and I think we would pay $2.00 for a frozen meal. It beats making the trip to Reitz Union for overpriced junk food."
The four other students that I spoke to also said that it would be very convenient and save them a lot of money if there were heating stations on campus. One of them said that hygiene was a concern to them and I agreed. When I suggested that it might be a good idea to have sanitation wipes near the heating station, she said, "yes! We can clean up after ourselves! But the three microwaves on campus don't have anything for us to clean up with, so they get pretty disgusting."
Another student said the line for the single microwave in Turlington was quite long, so she and another student heated their lunch up together. It was a quick solution, but it's inconvenient and certainly not a permanent one.
Summary
I learned that many students were not fully aware there was a need here before I asked them about it. They never thought there might be an alternative to eating out or starving. But when presented with this option, they all agreed it would benefit the student community immensely. Not all students will need this, but many of them would be grateful. I also learned that sanitation could be an issue if students are not presented with a means of cleaning up after themselves - but also if students simply choose not to clean up after themselves.
Overall, I think this would be a great opportunity to help students and guests make healthier decisions, but also make life a little more convenient.
Hey Rana, great job on your post. I think that adding frozen food vending machines to our campus would be very beneficial. If the university would also be kind enough to provide heating stations for those foods, that would be an amazing bonus. Frozen foods are flavorful, cost effective and efficient to make. It is the perfect meal for a college kid who is worried about budgeting.
ReplyDeleteHello again Rana!
ReplyDeleteWow, I didn't even think of this idea, yet it is so do-able! I definitely see opportunity in your idea, and I also think you could put your plan into action in a shorter amount of time than most people's ideas. I also think that your interviews showed how many people showed interest in the idea, but may not think of it right away. I know for a fact that there are times where this would definitely come in handy, and overall it would help students and guests of the university healthier and better off.