By Lauren Lane
Staff Writer

Monday evening after lifting at the gym, I went to Bartol for dinner. While I wasn’t very interested in the food it was serving, I was incredibly interested in getting some milk for my blender bottle filled with protein powder I routinely drink after I work out. Only problem? There was absolutely no milk to be found.
While I do realize that I showed up at 8 p.m. and they had been open for basically 12 hours at that point, and only had an hour to go until closing to the student body, I stand firmly in my belief that milk is something that should always be available.
Colleges all across the country, including Simmons, talk about how healthy they are trying to make their dining halls, and how healthy they want to encourage their students to be, but if they cannot provide us with the basic healthy essentials…well.
Milk provides its drinkers with a big package of nutrients that are incredibly important to bone health, as well as essential vitamin and nutrients, such as calcium, potassium, and vitamin D, which are simply good for you and your body.
Milk provides you with energy, helps repair and build muscle tissue, maintains healthy blood pressure, maintains the immune system, and maintains healthy red blood cells and nerve tissue.
Beyond the health benefits, milk is plain delicious, provides cereal to diners, and a leg to stand on for those who are trying to convince themselves that their cookies and milk dessert option is healthy for them.
I have looked past the lack of milk on multiple occasions so far this year because I was fine with eating something else, or just didn’t feel strongly enough to bring it to any sort of attention. However, we are into the second month of this school year, and it is getting harder and harder to look past this, especially with so many athletes and students looking for healthy options.
Bartol and its staff have been doing a great job this school year post remodeling. The food selection has been better, they have provided a better atmosphere, and definitely better seating. However, I am hoping for an increase in the essentials.
Milk is one of the best and healthiest drinks you can have, given you are not lactose intolerant. I might be alone in this quest to get a steady flow of milk in Bartol, but I stand behind it all the way as an athlete and a healthy eater.