One of USI’s goals is to be a 24/7 campus.

Everyone knows literally being 24/7 isn’t going to happen.

But how do we get there if basic services aren’t geared toward that?

Here’s my problem: I came to campus on a Sunday to work on homework. The campus was dead. I ran into maybe one or two students on the way to UC West. It wasn’t late or early, roughly 1-2 p.m.

After writing several pages, I became thirsty.

But none of the “retail dining,” as the dining services page calls it, was open at 2:30 p.m. I looked through all the retail dining option times. Starbucks was the first to open at 3 p.m.

As a college student, it’s expected that I eat every two hours and constantly have some sort of drink in my hand.

According to the USI website, 75 percent of USI students are commuters, which includes myself.

Commuters don’t have a fridge like those people who live on campus. And I shouldn’t have to bring a drink from home to a college campus. There should be options for us there.

I wrote a comment to USI’s dining service about the lack of options during afternoon hours on the weekend, and I was met with little understanding.

I was merely suggested to the Loft.

Apparently, the Loft is open from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., but even Sodexo’s website calls it “resident dining.”

Resident dining, to me, means cafeteria. I know it’s not, but when I think of a quick soda, I don’t think to go a “cafeteria.” To get a drink, I would think of a Simply-To-Go area rather than the Loft.

Okay, so the Loft and the convenience store, which is by the apartments, are my two options for four hours on the weekend.

I suggest the university opens up more choices for students. I know that students make up the majority of workers, and they have homework and life outside of work. Find students who can work weekends specifically or hire people outside USI to work.

I know that costs more, but I think it will bring more students in during the weekend.

And like I said, students aren’t here during the weekend near as much. It’s a vicious cycle, and I think if USI makes the first move, it will help draw students back to campus.