Dear Mizzou,

Do you remember that money we paid you so we could eat at your dining halls and various places? But we didn't use all of it? But you kept all of it anyway?

Yeah, I'm talking about that money.

For those who don't know, Mizzou has a unique food ecosystem that basically grooms students to waste their money at the end of the semester. The way it works is incoming students choose a dining plan of either 150, 200, or 275 meals. They pay the base price for each and then they receive an allotment of dining hall money corresponding to whichever plan they chose on their student account. This sounds awesome! You get food and you don't have to worry about overspending! But...

Dining hall money that is left at the end of the semester does not roll over!

This was a very frustrating thing for me as a freshman because I could neither use my extra dining hall money in the spring semester, nor could I withdraw the equivalent amount of money for personal use. It was a no win situation, unless you are considering the University. They win every time.

For I and many like me, money is tight in college. At Mizzou, no dining plan is the right plan. You either have to starve yourself or you have to become a glutton. Either way, you throw your money away. Let me give you a scenario (a true scenario):

Last year, I was on a dining plan that does not exist now. It was 225 meals each semester. At the end of the academic year, I had amassed over 100 extra meals total; 60 in the fall semester and 40 in the spring semester. In actual money, that amounts to OVER 740 DOLLARS! I know for some people, that is change they find in between the seats of their cars. For a broke college student, that is a few car payments, or a student loan payment, or a trip home when they didn't think they would be able to see their family over summer break.

Have I made my point? Hey, Mizzou, give it back.

Sincerely,

A college student just trying to get by