Towards the end of every semester, Washington University students continually face a meal point epidemic. Some students have an excess of meal points and need to somehow dispose of them before the semester ends. Others, like yours truly, are low on meal point funds.

It started back in February for me. Every now and then I would go to Paws and Go and treat myself. But, like most people in my position, treating myself soon turned into an everyday ordeal (because let’s be honest, those b-school classes are hard and I deserve it). I was down to a measly one hundred meal points by the beginning of April, and have been rationing my points ever since.

Illustration by Josh Zucker

My tragic position inspired me to do some research. I would never wish this tragedy on anyone, so this article is a list I compiled of options for those of you who have not enough meal points or too many meal points. Hopefully this guide can ease you of all your foodrelated frets and grub grievances.

First and foremost, Wash. U. students have the opportunity to donate unused meal points outside of Paws and Go through the student and faculty led organization Swipe Out Hunger. Swipe Out Hunger has been recognized as a leader in college-based nonprofits and has helped fight against local hunger since its beginnings in 2009 at the University of Southern California. Since then, Swipe Out Hunger has spread to 14 universities nationwide, one of these being our very own Wash. U. This nonprofit gives students an accessible opportunity to alleviate food insecurity, which currently affects 25.8 percent of people in the St. Louis city area. If you pass Paws and Go today, you will notice the large blue bins filled with donations that meal point surpluses have provided. Why not take part in this great chance to improve the community around us and help those in need?

Students can also buy and sell meal points from one another. These transactions can be made through the help of a trusty friend, through the WUSTL meal point exchange Facebook group or online Wash. U. meal points exchange website. Asking friends can be unsuccessful at times and one might wish to avoid appearing desperate, so I recommend the latter two options. Both the Facebook group and the online stock exchange quickly match the meal point deficient to those of you who, unlike me, still have 500-plus meal points. The meal point exchange displays asking prices for certain amounts and effectively makes the whole process instant and easy. You also get the opportunity to donate a “cup of coffee” to the programmer who developed the website. Overall, the website is a great display of student innovation and I recommend everyone pay a visit.

However, transferring meal points doesn’t come without a cost. Washington University has deemed it necessary to include 7.5-point transaction fee as well as mandate only one transfer per student per semester. Also, you must go to the Dining Services office to sign a meal points transfer form before any transaction can be made.

In order to avoid being a cog in the bureaucracy machine, I decided to find other creative ways to dispose/obtain meal points as well.

Through personal experience, I find that mooching off other friends seems to be a completely viable option for obtaining meal points. Whether it’s by claiming you “forgot your card” to a friend while standing in the checkout line or by pleading for their help, friends are always there with support and empathy in times of struggle. A lack of meal points is no exception. If you don’t have friends, you can always stand in the checkout line and plead there too. Get creative with your panhandling: set up a table in Bear’s Den and pretend to be a club or maybe even dabble in street performing. The opportunities are endless when asking for handouts.

Another remedy for those of you who have too many meal points is to visit the Meal Point Black Hole, also known as Ibby’s. Use your excess points to appreciate the finer things in life and order off the menu instead off the buffet. Run the gauntlet and try one of everything. Or if Ibby’s isn’t where you thrive, buy Sushi from Paws and Go or get one of those ten dollar square donuts from Cherry Tree Cafe.

But don’t forget you can also be philanthropic with your points. Go out to Ibby’s with a large group of friends, throw caution to the wind, and buy everyone at your table a banana foster. Maybe just be sure to give a good tip to the waiters because they work hard and they deserve it. Buy meals and feed the campus squirrels and encourage their usual confidence and persistent refusal to run away from humans. All in all, be charitable when the opportunity arises because you won’t regret it.

If none of those options are for you, you can always watch your hard earned money expire or delve into the depths of your Bear Bucks account. But I encourage us, as a student body, to do something about our meal point problems. With so many options it’s hard to go wrong. So good luck to you all and be proactive about your meal point dilemmas.