In the famous words of Jackson Lookabill ‘27 “Does anyone have any snacks? I’m starving!”
Snacking, especially in the dorms, has become a big part of student life, and some students can’t seem to get through the week without it.
Gabe Noel ‘27 said, “I usually spend around twenty dollars a week just on snacks because I don’t eat dinner on Mondays. That’s not even including drinks for the week which is another $10.”
Over the course of a school year, that number adds up. Boarders don’t just spend their own money on snacks to bring, but they also spend money at The Mount’s Bookstore, run by Mrs. Shelly Rodgers. The Bookstore has become a student favorite, and it’s not uncommon for students to stop by after lunch for a post-lunch snack.
Senior Hank Behrendt ‘26 said, “I get the peanut butter crackers every time I go there. I don’t really get drinks from the Bookstore because I bring my own.” Unfortunately for boarders, the Bookstore is only open during the day, leaving boarders searching for snacks after dinner. Luckly the Mount has two vending machines in the Armory. Even though these vending machines have had some maintenance issues in the past, they are like knights in shining armor for boarders.
The machines have everything a high schooler could possibly want- ranging from sodas and Gatorades to candy bars and protein crackers. Junior Rylan Pearson ‘27 said, “I personally love the vending machines when they work, I wish they had some healthier options, but any time I forget to bring snacks for the week I can always count on them.” The vending machines are a core part of the boarding snacking culture and have bailed out many hungry boarders looking for a treat.
Despite the abundance of food present at the Mount, a lot of students still tend to have their parents bring them food on Wednesday nights if they had forgotten or run out of snacks earlier in the week. Sophomore Laeth Sykora said “My parents bring me snacks on Wednesday every week. They bring me snacks like cookies, Oreos and protein shakes if I forgot those at the beginning of the week.” A mid-week refill on snacks is becoming increasingly common, especially as we get later in the year.
As the old stereotype goes, teenage boys eat a lot of food and can never seem to get enough. Sometimes getting enough food is hard for the boarding students, especially if they forgot to bring their own snacks. With the Bookstore and the vending machines, however, students can get a plethora of snacks at any time, morning, day, or night.
