Hunger has become a silent companion for many undergraduates struggling to balance academic responsibilities with the rising cost of living. While university campuses often appear lively and energetic, many students quietly endure food insecurity as they pursue their education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is almost 8 a.m. at Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka. Students hurry toward their lecture halls, some carrying notebooks, others with water bottles in hand, all hoping to arrive before lectures begin. From a distance, everything appears normal. Yet behind many determined faces are empty stomachs and silent worries about where the next meal will come from. For many students, hunger has become another obstacle in the pursuit of a university degree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The reality of campus life has changed significantly. As the cost of living continues to rise, many students can no longer afford three meals a day. Some have reduced their meals to twice daily, while others survive on just one meal. Although the struggle is widespread, it often goes unnoticed because many students hide their difficulties, attending lectures with smiles despite going hungry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For Erezi Christabel Oghenemaro, a student of Broadcasting, eating twice a day has become the norm. She said she has skipped meals “countless times” because she could not afford food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“There will be no strength for you to do anything,” she said. “It can even lead to depression.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to her, she relies on financial support from her parents, older siblings, and the little income she earns from her small business whenever money becomes scarce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gift Oshevire, a student of Journalism and Media Studies, shared a similar experience. She said there are days she eats two meals and other days when she manages just one. She explained that going without food often leaves her feeling weak and unable to concentrate during lectures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“When things become difficult, I ask my parents, siblings or friends for help,” she said, adding that life on campus would be easier if the cost of living were lower.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ayoola Elkannah, a 100-level student of Journalism and Media Studies, said life before university was very different. While living in Lagos, he ate three or four meals daily, but financial realities have forced him to reduce the number of meals he eats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Academic expenses, project materials and the general cost of living have changed everything,” he said. “Sometimes my friends and I contribute whatever food we have and prepare a meal together. That is one of the ways we survive.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not every student interviewed shared the same experience. Comrade Edward Divine, a departmental stakeholder of the Journalism and Broadcasters Students Association (JABSA), said he usually eats four or five times a day, although he acknowledged that he had skipped meals on a few occasions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Similarly, Asagba David Oghenetega, a 400-level student of English and Literary Studies, said he has not experienced food shortages due to financial difficulties. However, he believes creating employment opportunities and supporting student-owned businesses would help many undergraduates achieve financial independence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beyond physical discomfort, students said hunger also affects their academic performance and emotional well-being. Cyprian Rita, a 200-level Mass Communication student, said hunger reduces her concentration and makes studying difficult.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Sometimes I sleep, think or even cry when there is no money for food,” she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another student, Favour Felix, explained that she no longer eats the meals she prefers but settles for whatever she can afford.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I no longer eat what I like. I eat what my pocket can afford because survival comes first,” she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A campus food vendor, however, offered a different perspective. She said students’ buying habits have not changed significantly and that noodles served with barbecue fish remain one of the most popular meals among students. According to her, students rarely request food on credit, and she has not increased her prices because she believes they are still affordable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Her observations suggest that while many students face financial hardship, their experiences vary across the university community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite their different circumstances, one message was consistent throughout the interviews: students want support, not sympathy. Many called for reduced school fees and levies, increased scholarship opportunities, financial assistance, and programmes that support students facing economic hardship. They believe such measures would allow them to focus more on their studies instead of worrying about their next meal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A university education is often described as an investment in the future. For many students, however, each day begins with a more immediate concern: finding enough food to eat. Hunger may not be visible in lecture halls, but it quietly affects concentration, energy, academic performance, and mental well-being. Until these silent struggles receive greater attention, many students will continue chasing their dreams with empty stomachs but unwavering determination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Faith Ogbotor<\/strong> is a student of Journalism and Media Studies with a passion for feature writing and human-interest journalism. She enjoys telling stories that highlight everyday experiences and social issues affecting students and their communities.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Hunger has become a silent companion for many undergraduates struggling to balance academic responsibilities with the rising cost of living. While university campuses often appear lively and energetic, many students quietly endure food insecurity as they pursue their education. It is almost 8 a.m. at Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka. Students hurry toward their lecture […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1592,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"iawp_total_views":8,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[430,428,429,56],"class_list":["post-1591","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-viewspoint","tag-food-scarcity","tag-opinion-writing","tag-students-struggle","tag-view-point"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1591","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1591"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1591\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1597,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1591\/revisions\/1597"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1592"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1591"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1591"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1591"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}