Living at St. John’s has definitely been easier this year. With the addition of the ‘C’-store to the Residential Village, we now have a place to get our breakfast cereals and air fresheners whenever we need them. All it takes is a short walk down to Montgoris.
The ‘C’-store is basically a small convenience store set up at the end of the Montgoris Dining Hall. What could be a more convenient location for students living on campus? I for one am very happy that someone had the presence of mind to set this store up. St. John’s has recently been encouraging students to live on campus by adding more residential halls, and this new convenience store will definitely convince more people to live here. Of course, the difficult parking situation has the same effect. There’s nothing wrong with that though-I don’t even drive-and it sure makes me happy to have my own personal convenience store.
Why do I love this ‘C’-Store so much? I have a couple of reasons. For one, the ‘C’-Store’s hours are great. On weekdays, we can walk in and get what we need until 1 a.m. It might not seem so great that the store closes at 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, but the majority of students don’t even have classes the next day. So take your time and walk down to 7-Eleven if you need to get something.
The ‘C’-Store also has a pretty good selection of food, drinks and toiletries, and really, isn’t that what we need the most? Maybe you’ve got a paper due the next day and you want to stay up late to finish it. Well, you can go to the ‘C’-Store (until 1 a.m) and get some coffee. You can even get a box of cereal and a gallon of milk so that you won’t have to go to the dining halls in the morning. Now, it would be nice if they carried some other things like ice, printer paper, and the daily newspapers, but there are enough redeeming qualities to make up for this.
My favorite part is that the ‘C’-Store takes meal plan points. As a college student on a tight budget, it makes me feel better when I don’t have to stop at an ATM and watch my money disappear. Plus, it really is more convenient to pay for things with a card, and the whole point of this thing is convenience.
Some people may not like the fact that Late Night is gone. I’d have to agree that it was nice to be able to get a hot meal late at night, but I like the current set-up better. You can still have a hot meal if you use a stove or microwave. Plus, there is more to choose from than just chicken, mozzarella sticks and buffalo wings. And most importantly, the ridiculous lines are gone.
Hopefully St. John’s will continue to expand as a residential school and we’ll be treated to more happy surprises like this convenience store.
