We’ve all heard it: “Watch out for the ‘Freshman 15!’” It’s a rite of passage to joke about gaining weight in college. People blame it on stress or the freedom to walk to a restaurant down the street whenever you want.
At Texas State, the real problem isn’t overeating — it’s students not eating enough.
Food insecurity is real. Whether it’s skipping meals to scrape together rent or rationing food to get through the week, hunger hits more students than one would think. According to the Hays County Food Bank annual report, about one in seven Hays County residents struggles to access enough food including many Texas State students who are unsure of where their next meal is coming from.
These students sit next to you in class, hiding behind a smile. According to The Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior, food insecurity affects 30 to 50 percent of college students, particularly those from underserved and low-income communities. Improper nutrition negatively impacts brain function, academic performance and overall well-being.
Elijah Man, a first-generation civil engineering freshman, said he understands the challenges of college life without the privilege of a college fund.
“When you’re a first-gen student without financial support from your parents, you’re constantly juggling work and classes just to afford meals. Sometimes, I’m just trying to survive, and that isn’t a struggle shared by most of my peers,” Man said.
While there are students who swipe their ID and eat without another thought, some tally up every dollar and hope their groceries last long enough to make it to the next paycheck. College is the first time some students have ever had to plan an entire meal or decide between buying groceries and paying rent.
Let’s be real — Texas State’s meal plans are expensive. For the 2025-26 school year, the Bobcat Unlimited plan is $2,350 each semester. It includes unlimited dining hall meals, one retail meal a day worth $8.69, 10 guest passes and $300 in Dining Dollars. The Maroon 7 plan costs $1,625 and gives seven meals a week, one retail meal a week, two guest passes and $400 in Dining Dollars. Freedom to eat doesn’t mean the ability to afford it.
That’s where Bobcat Bounty, Texas State’s student-run food pantry, comes in. Bobcat Bounty offers free weekly groceries in a judgment-free grocery-store-style setting. Open to all students, staff and community members, it helps reduce food insecurity with support from the Hays County Food Bank and Bobcat Farms.
Still, many students don’t know it exists or avoid it due to stigma around asking for help. Natalie Powell, Bobcat Bounty operations manager, said she hears this often.
“We often heard from shoppers that they didn’t feel like it was for them, or that their situation wasn’t ‘bad enough’ to participate,” Powell said.
Powell said shame stops people from getting the support they need, even when the pantry exists to support them directly. She said food insecurity doesn’t have a particular “look,” which she hopes more students will come to understand.
“We aim to break down these stigmas and recontextualize food as a commons that should be readily accessible to everyone,” Powell said.
The 2024–25 school year brought in record attendance at the pantry, showing that demand is only growing. Bobcat Bounty helped serve over 48,000 households and distribute nearly 1.2 million pounds of food in 2024.
Powell said numbers typically dip after spring break, something the team expects as schedules shift. But those quieter weeks don’t mean needs disappear—they just become easier to overlook. Since Bobcat Bounty only operates during the fall and spring semesters, students facing food insecurity in the summer have even fewer options.
You don’t have to run a nonprofit to play a role in creating change. Students can help by posting Bobcat Bounty on social media or offering to go with a friend who’s too nervous to go alone. Powell said she encourages students to start by speaking up.
“Having conversations with your friends and peers about it could be a good start to breaking down those stigmas,” Powell said
