What Happens When College Students Can't Afford To Eat? One student Shares Her Story | TODAY

University of Florida student Angela Rodiquez works 35 hours a week on top of her classes and studying so she can afford to eat. She is one of thousands of college students around the country who struggle with food insecurity.
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What Happens When College Students Can't Afford To Eat? One student Shares Her Story | TODAY

[@a11px6]

That was me. Couldn't afford 50 cent lunches at my community college because I had nothing. Thankfully I have a good job now, but those lessons will always stay with me.

[@hrishikeshdeore5727]

Sorry for the past, Cheers for the better present, hope for the best future 👍

[@jet5995]

🙏

[@jessicaschoonmaker2073]

That’s a hella good deal

[@haylyespin9134]

When I was a student I had a meal plan of 8 meals a week. The cafeteria wasn't open on the weekends so we would have kitchens in our apartment style dorms. I got to a point where I wasn't able to work due to transportation issues. There were no jobs available at my school, and my family turned their backs on me because they didn't like my boyfriend (wasn't the greatest of guys, I was young and naive). My boyfriend didn't live on campus. His dad didn't buy food for the house. He drank. His place was in a town that didn't even have a police station let alone a grocery store. Civilization was a 4 mile walk in every direction. My point is when college kids can't afford food they don't eat. I shared my 8 meals a week with my boyfriend. That had to last us 5 days. Most of my friends were in almost similar situations. Weekends were horrible. We'd starve, for days sometimes before we were able to get food. Sometimes we'd make it to a food pantry but only if we could afford the bus. We could only take what we could carry because it was a 25 minute walk back to the bus stop. College kids starve. There needs to be better resources available to them. Especially in a country with an obesity problem and an abundance of food.

[@thesoutherngossip4548]

Sis I would of just broken up with the boyfriend wtf were you thinking lol I wouldn’t starve for a MAN

[@user-ws3qo5cr5h]

@@thesoutherngossip4548 right

[@user-ws3qo5cr5h]

@@thesoutherngossip4548 the only meat you need is the ones at the stores

[@summerwest3099]

I learned about this issue in 2017 when I found out that some of my students were going days without food while I kept hassling them about turning in their papers so that I could mark them on time. I cried myself to sleep for a few days and then had to seek counselling. I am still not past the guilt now... three years later. I grew up low income and am a first-generation college graduate too, but I have never experienced food insecurity in my life. This is devastating. Food pantries belong on every campus everywhere. If the campus is closed for holidays or a pandemic, food pantries must remain open not only for students, but for staff and faculty with food insecurity.

[@arbitrarylib]

Makes you think, huh?

[@arbitrarylib]

Sad world...we all struggle.

[@giovanealves4320]

This is heartbreaking. I'm from Brazil, and even though our college system is free, we still struggle with a lot of other costs, because the very nature of college education is based on sistematic meritocracy. With that being said, I can't imagine how it would feel to live in a place where I'd have to pay for college, food + other things while studying.

[@TheMusachioedBrony]

Giovane Alves People in other countries do not understand how much regular Americans struggle in daily life. Hollywood has painted a picture of this country that is just not real. Just a regular University tuition is USD $35,000 per year-for just the tuition! . Add books and living costs and it is easily USD $50,000. Say what?!! Who can afford that? Plus our healthcare costs are absolutely unbelievable. A major illness can force a person into bankruptcy-it happened to me. BTW-I used to travel to Brazil before I became ill. I exhibited at many trade shows-I love Brazil. Honestly, if you are middle class in Brazil in many ways you have an easier life than here. You can afford to pay people to do things for you, like clean your house or do repairs, etc. Here in the US it is so expensive we have to do everything ourselves. It becomes exhausting.

[@four-x-trading5606]

It’s absolutely terrible and disgusting many good hearted intelligent people get left behind because they can’t handle the cost on top the stress of the reality of it best to go to another country to study..

[@tjmmatthews2930]

wow this is the reality that sadly for some college students, who was born here or had to move here from another country in the world , hope things work out for these college students . great video keep up the good work college campuses

[@yoleeisbored]

yep.. i ate like once or none a day during school.. it sucked.. im glad theres more and more food pantries on campuses

[@TheMusachioedBrony]

I love the idea of a food pantry on campus. Actually, what this girl was saying is she doesn’t have money for food over the weekends when the dorm doesn’t serve food. My school did that too-they figured people were on road trips, home for the weekend or eating at fast food places. But if you are not in the dorms and are living in an on or off campus apartment, you usually don’t have the meal plan anyway. So those people, who are usually always broke, are the ones that I think are the most vulnerable for not being able to afford groceries. I think every college should have a food pantry-I actually can’t believe it already isn’t a firmly entrenched tradition. Honestly, if you are hungry or eating cheap, crappy food you don’t feel good, you are getting sick and your brain is like sludge. A bag of decent groceries is a small investment compared to the unbelievable cost of tuition in the US-which averages about USD $35,000 per year.

[@billiecarlock5237]

Not trying to make a joke because I did it. How about getting a job in a supermarket, you get a discount on food and a decent paycheck. Again not trying to be funny.

[@salahdinety]

Billie Carlock 10 percent does not make difference. Walmart and stop and shop are greedy.

[@felipecosta-kv2fx]

Do they even have time to afford a job?

[@ximenag8244]

In Spanish we have a word for that and we make fun of it because is something that many of us foreigners go through, we are called “estudihambres” a mix between the words hambre/hunger and estudiante/student

[@chloewells4385]

I love that!

[@salahdinety]

Student stuggling here. You are not the only one. Keep your heads up. Working 40 hour a week and full-time student. Always eating rice to keep up with bills.

[@williamcopeland4844]

All middle class people live with this, not just college students. When I grew up we could survive off the the land and streams of our ranch. Eminent Domain took our south Austin land away from us and now we are a separated family living and struggling in separate states. Thank you overpopulation, excessive government and industrialization/urbanization.

[@ice2firefly]

This came to mind as I was watching. How about having a community “college” garden. It could be class to go along with it and it being on a per semester. Also get a credits for taking the classes. I don’t know if colleges would want to put more money towards something like this. It is just an idea.

[@jfjc5694]

Wow 😮that’s wonderful!!!!! Now the USA 🇺🇸 needs to help so many homeless people on the streets.

[@shad0wCh8ser]

They wouldn't need a food pantry if they didn't charge extra "activities and administration" fee that are necessary.

[@djzaacma8945]

This is VERY true in my case, I'm from South Sudan, studying in Malaysia, but I'm struggling here just to get enough food or pay for the rent or even pay the tuition fees.. My sponsor went broke!

[@beckybayne6770]

This is so very sad and I am glad she has found the food pantry. Hopefully, this will make her college life easier and she can, in turn, help someone else in a similar situation. Good Luck

[@shad0wCh8ser]

I wish there was a food pantry when I was in college. I lived off of ramen and frozen breakfast food. You want to know how to stretch a $1? One box of elbow noodles, 1 can of creamed mushroom soup, 1 can of tuna (or get chicken if your fancy), mix and eat for a week. Protein, Carbs, and fats. Eat it on lettuce for more veggies. It'll hit all the nutrient groups. I remember I had a class and they set me to buy a book and it was $170. I was like are you trying to rob us? The clerk said but you can resell it back at the end of the year and get $35 unless they change the book. Then we won't buy it back. I couldn't help but think, college is a scam.

[@nybsbfan18]

I wonder how many students had less food due to a roommate stealing it...?

[@vanessab.6682]

That won't happen if you live on campus dorms, your meal plan is on yout student ID. You only buy what you need for the day, but you need to be organized.

[@GrayWoIf]

This is why I'm not going to school for a year just work until I can afford everything to enroll In school the following year.

[@four-x-trading5606]

Welp in order to do that ya gonna have to save every penny and eat spaghetti O’s and banana every meal good luck 👍

[@Pretti_sundara_]

I’m 2023 it’s hard to afford food especially when college stores are now charging $1 for an apple

[@poukhananthony7589]

Hi! Could you make CC (closed captions) available for this video for those who are hard of hearing? Thank you!

[@MrIcenice44]

I’m going through this right now. I used all the money to afford a place to stay. And now I’m housed and starving. I try to make due with some instant decaf to keep the hunger at bay but it’s starting to not work. I just got here so hopefully I’ll get hired on campus 🙏🏽

[@forevergoddessqueen4404]

Books should be free on pdf. They are paying so much for school which is a rip off and the school opens a food pantry. I saw a docu where indians in sweatshops worked there to live there. It's cutting it close.

[@michaelsaemmer8640]

This is pathetic. This is a 5 minute feel good piece that's supposed to make you think that everything is okay because UF has a food pantry for it's students when the reality is it's pathetic that college campus should have a food pantry in the first place. Students shouldn't need that.....people shouldn't be unable to afford food. That's the real problem.

[@almansoori9014]

Those kind of stories break your heart, i cant relate to those kind of problems as we have free education all the way to college, we never think stress about it, seeing those kind of story make me appreciate my country, my life ... she is a strong girl, wish her the best in life

[@vanessab.6682]

"I didn't wanna ask my parents". I asked my parents and they said oh no use your meal plan. I did not eat anything the last 2 weeks, maybe a small granola. I don't remember, but I remember not having any money left on my student meal plan the last 2 weeks of the semester.

[@lorelllasecki8192]

This is an eye opening video. As much as these people pay to the colleges each year, the colleges could afford 3 meal a day for their students! At least they are trying to make something of themselves by Going to college unlike Many out there!

[@isidoreaerys8745]

OK, so the people that don’t have $35,000 for tuition just aren’t “ trying”. Got it.

[@xq39]

Yes I would agree. I went to a college that did not allow cooking or storing your own food in the dorms so the only way to eat was to go to the food court, which depending on your budget you can only go once or twice a day. My college also required that you buy a meal plan for there only.

[@albertpicon8847]

As an undergraduate alumni, I am very thankful that I didn't have to go through this situation. I was living at home with my family. I feel that college/university tuition is way too high nowadays which makes it a lot harder for students to eat properly. They should consider lowering the cost of tuition so that students don't skip meals and have a better healthy lifestyle. Can't learn properly without getting the right amount of a complete meal.

[@darlinlopez8738]

I just can’t stop to feel amazed as surely impress as happy for this mega human beautiful program that the country created to help students to grow and follow their dreams careers WOW IM TOTALLY IN SHOCK AND HAPPY ABOUT IT!!! GOD BLESS ALL AND EACH OF THOSE WHO WORK IN THIS PROGRAM AND ALSO THOSE THAT DONATED FOOD TO FEED THESE STUDENTS WOW 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@nuriygomaz8315]

I have son in Miami international college so. He work but it's not enough money and he share room with the kids since he doesn't have money enough to Payne cannot graduate last year and this year maybe next year

[@jillhoskins9966]

When I attended UF from '89 to '93, the Hari Krishnas provided a great deal of food on campus every day, and you could eat for free, if you liked squash. I was fortunate enough to live off campus in 4 different apartments over the 5 yrs I was there.

[@TheMusachioedBrony]

Jill Hoskins What did they ask for in return? Did you have to sit through some kind of lecture about who they are or a service? Or was it just like a soup kitchen? Actually, where I grew up there was a Hare Krishna temple-the people were really nice.

[@jillhoskins2414]

Mary Anne -- No, there was no formal structure, no lectures, no religious services, no brainwashing! The Krishnas would come every weekday and unload a van or two on the "quad" with several large pans of whatever squash dishes they had prepared for that day, and they set up folding tables, and put out plates, plastic forks, etc., and anyone who wanted could come and get some food. No cost, and you weren't required to provide any "proof of poverty," but they would hand you a white carnation, hoping that you would make a donation. I'm sure a lot of people donated to them. After the lunch hour (or so), they would pack up and leave. Once when I was driving down University Avenue, I saw one of their van's back doors open, and a couple of huge full pans of a squash dish slid out the back and onto the ground. MOST UNFORTUNATE! All this was about 25 years ago. Not sure if they are still providing food on campus. You know how everybody is a "legal freak" these days. I mean, what if someone got food poisoning, etc.? As they say, "No good deed goes unpunished!" Ironically enough, just before I started at UF, I was working for a lawyer in downtown Gainesville, and one of his clients was the Krishna Foundation!

[@ViahX]

i’m in a study abroad program and i can’t work on a visa, it’s a lot on my mom to send me money, still eating these 1€ 20 pack of crackers for breakfast lunch and dinner. i’m so hungry, if i had €5 or 10€ i’d be so good for at least a month

[@aiswaryav614]

I am from India, but even I can't imagine having to go hungry for food, the hostel charges are not exorbitant for mess and even college canteens serve nutritious food for less price, of course our diet of rice, vegetables, fish and different types of rice and wheat dishes means that food does not cost that much here.

[@DJ-vj4vi]

She’s doing better than I am. I wish I was a Hispanic woman.

[@starrinight6114]

and teachers in highschool keep forcing us to go to college

[@raiyu1985]

Wait, I'm not dissing this gurl, but she looks well fed. I guess you guys should get a compelling actors.

[@Liz-ce5qm]

Can you talk about how really bad this Tampa thunderstorm is omg I’m so scared

[@lollol6710]

Honey she doesn’t look like she is exactly starving. If anything she could lose a few pounds.

[@lisasmith9311]

She's eating better than I am

[@MegF142857]

Her stove is nicer than mine.

[@lisasmith9311]

MegF yeah I don't get what they are saying

[@TheMusachioedBrony]

MegF Ummmm..Seriously??! That is a college dorm kitchen! It is not “her” stove-she shares it with the entire floor, which could be anywhere from 30 to 60 other students. I’m sure it rarely as clean as it appears on this video either. I remember my dorm’s kitchen looking like a toxic waste dump because no one would take responsibility for cleaning. Nasty.

[@TheMusachioedBrony]

lisa myhre What-a quarter pound of ground beef and half an onion? Some Campbell’s soup and cup ramen? Because that is what I saw highlighted. No fresh fruit. No fresh vegetables.

[@jlgrizzly7972]

Wow I got a job to work my way through school, ate every day maybe not as good as I should of but I did myself with out crying that someone owed me something.

[@topturn9653]

worked your way through what school? I earned a graduate degree and paid for gas too-off campus student. But when your dog-tired sick w/a bacterial infection, you still need to get to campus for work and class. Death's door is not whining sir.

[@Pumpkintiti]

I'm listening intently and this young lady has family it's just her Pride that is in the way. And it's so sad she has family if she's hungry and she tells her family that I'm low on money or whatever they're not going to turn their backs on her. But if there are other students obviously there are other students who doesn't who don't have luxury of family or friends to help them out with food but you know use utilize your resources go to your office your guidance counselor & say something. people don't want to open their mouths and when you don't speak up for yourself then you don't get fed that's just the bottom line. I may seem a bit harsh but it's truth

[@ifym5455]

I was kind of thinking that yes, this girl works extremely hard and does a lot, but I was like she has family that could easily help her. At this "old age" of mine, I have come to the realization that you pretty much said in your comment: a closed mouth doesn't get fed. Whatever you want it life, if you don't ask for help you may end up possibly staying in the position. I didn't ask for fear of people saying no or not wanting to helping and also because I didn't want to be a bother. I didn't realize that only person who was suffering was myself. I'm proud of this young lady for working hard and making ends meet but she has so much going on that somethings gotta give and she already said her grades are suffering from this. She needs to really think this through and find out what's really important and allow her parents to help. As you mentioned in your comments, her parents are more than willing to help her out. What you said was the truth, harsh or not.

[@Pumpkintiti]

Ifeoma Mozie Well said.!👌👏 Thanks

[@mrbigs4084]

So unfortunate, those trying to educate themselves get nothing but the dregs of society get everything on a silver platter.

[@Fightback2023]

She's pretty healthy and...big, consider being hungry all the time..

[@joshuacharlery5826]

Welcome to college!! :)

[@commandertex4389]

not being able to afford food is exactly what I think about college students worrying about. why do you think the college kid eating ramen is a common joke?

[@mckayladill5551]

I usually eat once a day.

[@gfleming5136]

OMAD. Once you get used to One-Meal-A-Day it’s great and you’re never hungry. Lots of information about it on KZbin. 😋 (edited to correct a misspelling)

[@stellabella5269]

G Fleming Keto and OMAD for life!! ☺ 💕 👍 XOXOX

[@gfleming5136]

Stella Bella: YES!

[@daisyjanedejuan3910]

She's healthy.

[@marie-joseenadeau971]

We often go through this as students. I remember living on rice, eggs and peanut butter. I'm sorry but this girl doesn't look like she doesn't have enough to eat ....

[@atmartens]

Lots of people who are food insecure are obsessed. Snack and fatty foods are cheaper then healthier options. There’s also people who suffer from binge eating. If you can only afford to eat one meal a day, your portion is going to be larger to make up for the meals you can’t eat.

[@four-x-trading5606]

another good thing is banana’s or spaghetti noodle with pasta sauce

[@sig9girl]

This country is so screwed up.

[@beverlya6338]

f you can afford to send your chld to college you can afford the food for them or have the chld get a part tme job whch many have

[@mysummertouch]

In US there are a salvation army and churches! Not every country has them! Go there!

[@kismyanthia2170]

Take less classes and get a job..

[@jfgkkugsdjooii9803]

Itsh happening to me now

[@JogBird]

too much slow mo

[@sherrivonch6044]

They ask mom and dad for help

[@hotclubofthemountains3591]

You may have to leave college and get a paying job for while. Welcome to real life.

[@radiantsquare007jrdeluxe9]

While yes it is perfectly acceptable to choose between getting a college degree or having food to eat. It's not like college degrees on average improve a person's quality of and success in life.

[@hotclubofthemountains3591]

@@radiantsquare007jrdeluxe9 College Degrees in 2020 are over-rated, oversold and over valued. Student's who took large loans and spent them on lavish lifestyles and cars have to pay, just like the rest of is do. There is no free lunch.

[@josephnellums2691]

wow

[@best16g]

joseph nellums

[@shirleyford104]

The girl doesn't look under nourished. What she's saying is, like alot of people who work for a living is this. She doesn't always have the types of foods of which she prefers the taste. That's called life in the real world. A place where she needs to get used to hanging her hat if she wants to make a mark of her own. Now if she simply wants to go to college to hang out with the cool kids then later live in her parents basement like a slug, that's a different story. Let her parents provide all those tasty little treats. Otherwise she can do what the children of natural born Americans do when they go out to prove themselves. Eat ramen noodles till she can afford to buy something better with money she worked for herself.

[@kellywalker9132]

Shirley Ford agreed

[@amazinhazens]

Poverty and obesity go hand in hand. Low cost foods are rarely the healthiest option. Food insecure individuals often opt for cheaper, packaged foods that fill a person up rather than a most costly healthy choices.

[@shirleyford104]

Marsha Hazen The remedy to that is, get a job. Wash dishes in a restaurant that provides a meal for employees with a salad bar. Use the money from that job to buy food to have when not at work. American born kids do it everyday. We of the working class aren't here to support other peoples kids. We work for our own. Life in the real world. Wear your grown-up panties or stay home in your pissy diaper.

[@allywolf9182]

Shirley Ford omg do you live in a freaking fantasy world!!! She isn't on food stamps or pubic assistance, she is working about a full-time job and full-time college. As for her weight, when you have to live on crappy cheap food it destroys your body.

[@caitlyn3151]

Shirley Ford you sound very un-empathetic. I suggest you seek counseling. To be so callous and cold about an issue as serious as food insecurity is border line sociopathic. She has a job and is in college she simply ran out of food. She didn't want to ask her parents probably because they don't have a lot of money to begin with.

[@starrinight6114]

this is why we fast your not supposed to be eating every day

[@CountofSerenno]

Karl Marx has joined the server

[@yolag8872]

I don’t understand why is she over weight?

[@tinaloveseddie]

Umm? No! She can buy ramen for 25 cents/ pack, frozen veggies for $1. A loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter/jelly goes along way. She looks like she’s eating just fine, thank you very much.🤨🙄

[@aaliyahwilliams7170]

that isnt healthy in the long run,

[@seekingtruth1110]

Once again, I am seeing someone who looks very well fed on these kind of shows? I don't get it.

[@MegF142857]

Looks like she is taking full advantage of that free food. ;-) Now she can get good grades without asking her parents for any food. -- What's with the poignant music? Seems the music should be uplifting and "TADAH TADAH". See... so sad... and then... wow... other people provide this young woman so much food that she needs to go on a diet. Isn't America Great!

[@nopeenahh]

If you couldnt afford it. Do something else. Never bother my parents for money. Join the military so my schooling will be covered. Go run do some pushup for your education if you want it that bad.

[@burakuyanik1874]

She looks like she doesn’t need to eat dam