I don’t know about the rest of you on the Weekly 7 meal plan, but I’m horrible at budgeting my dining dollars each semester. Halfway through the year, I always realize that there’s no way I’m going to make it to the end with the measly amount of money that I have left and start skimping on fancy coffees with toppings. I start going to Dana and freeloading off my friends who never seem to run out of money.

However this year, that’s simply not the case. Not one person that I’ve talked to is on track for the semester, according to the taunting infographic that’s posted up on the Student Center bulletin board. Each one of my roommates complains endlessly about running out of money which frightens me because it means that there’s no one to spoil me with Iced Turtle Mochas, Pub Cookies, and Chocolate Chip Pancakes. This low amount of Dining Dollars has caused us all to become suspicious of pub pricing. We scrutinize each item on the menu and complain every night about the outrageous prices of some items at the Pub. 

This obsession with the Pub menu sparked my interest and caused me to realize a discrepancy in my spending. Just a few weeks ago, at the start of September, I was paying a mere $2.35 for my iced coffee with a caramel shot but when I ordered one last week, I noticed that the price of a flavor shot has gone up from 35 cents to a whole 55 cents. 

This news shook me.

I could no longer afford six cups of coffee a day and I’m too cheap to spend real money at Dunkin. While I love the Pub, I was heartbroken at this increase in the price of coffee; which I consider an essential. A necessity to make it through the day. And I’m not the only one.

Julia Baldasaro ’22 discussed how the increase in coffee prices has detrimental effects on her study habits. 

“Now that I can’t drink a cup of coffee every hour, I’ve really started to feel the effects: I struggle to stay awake during my Zoom classes and fall asleep while doing my homework,” said Baldasaro. “While it may only seem like a small increase in prices, the 20 cents add up if you have a caffeine addiction like I do.” 

While it may seem like students, such as Julia and I, are being overdramatic about this increase in the prices, it’s not the 20 cents increase that upsets me, it’s what it symbolizes. Even last year, there were rumors floating around about fluctuating pub prices, but this year, an increase in prices can be easily tracked through the GET app that we all use to place our orders. 

Many students, including Lilly Sullivan ’23, believe that the Pub is already overpriced when it comes to certain items, especially fresh fruit and vegetables. 

“Instead of paying almost seven dollars for blackberries or raspberries, I try finding other cheaper alternatives like going to Price Chopper,” said Sullivan. “Although it’s a hassle, it’s better than using up all my money on a small thing of fruit each day.” 

Students are not given an unlimited amount of money to spend at the Pub. While I think that with proper budgeting, $1500 Dining Dollars is an ample amount of money, I strongly believe the pub prices should remain consistent at least through the semester. Changes can throw students off and cause confusion among the student body, especially if the changes are not acknowledged. 

The small price change in coffee makes me wonder what other prices have increased as well, although I’m not obsessed enough with any other food item on the menu to track changes. This isn’t a plea for price of a flavor shot to be decreased (although that would be nice!), it’s simply a request for more transparency when it comes to changes in the menu.