The mall on campus provides the students with a lot of convenience. It has a variety of restaurants and fast food shops, a large bookshop, a good supermarket, a coffee shop and some clothing stores. The mall is easily accessible by students and thus, provides handiness in answering some of the essential needs in his or her college life. It also affords recreation should a student need to take a reprieve from the responsibilities he or she has accomplish. However, this mall operates within hours that falls short of the student’s requirements. The mall closes at 9:00 pm and does not open on a weekend. This operating hours poses a predicament because most of the students still need store services beyond 9:00 pm and especially on a weekend. College students usually have tight schedules especially during exam period as they dedicate long hours to studying. They would not have enough time to cook and more often than not, rely on the expediency of prepared food from restaurants and fast food shops. They also might want to run to the bookshop for some last minute reference and use the convenience of a coffee shop where beverage is readily available to one who is planning to review for hours at a time. Therefore, there is an immediate need for the mall to cater more specifically to the needs of the students as it is them that they have identified as the primary consumers of their establishment. This is not a difficult change if they would consider some of the suggestions of this paper.
In light of the dangers that college and university students face, it is then a pivotal choice to make the student life more convenient and less risky. By being able to provide the essential needs of the students within their reach, they are less inclined to be in some other place that might compromise their safety and well-being. Having the mall on campus operate on longer hours would be a step in that direction. Establishment owners, in discussion with students and college or university officials, can draft a plan of action that will allow the important and necessary establishments to extend operating hours to accommodate the needs of the students especially in times that they are most in demand. These stores might be, but not limited to, the supermarket, bookshops and coffee shops. They might try to employ staggered operating hours, choosing to close when there are less likely visits from the customers. These will entail some survey-taking and research but it will give an insight on the most cost-effective manner in which they can be of service to the consumers. This will further address the need to decrease the rate of incidence of preventable deaths within colleges and universities. The incidence of campus deaths have been increasing through the years and have prompted college and university officials to take actions towards prevention.
In conclusion, having a mall on campus is already a convenience being provided to the students. It give ready access to the needs that one may experience during their stay on campus. It also provides a reprieve from the stress associated with the demands of school. It can be a source of recreation that will give the students some time off from the usual hustle that they do. It affords them an environment they can be themselves, socialize with their classmates and friends and all within a safe distance from their places of residence. Certain shops that are most utilized by students during their campus life must then take into consideration conditions that are present in campus. Extended hours should be considered to ensure that services are tailor-fitted to the schedules of the students especially when they employ longer hours of studying during exams and the need for relaxation and socialization during the weekends. In turn, this would compel them to be within the campus vicinity and away from the dangers of going off campus. It would be a relief to the students and their parents knowing that they need not venture out and compromise their safety and well-being.
References
Davis, R., & DeBarros, A. (2006, January 25). In College, the First Year is by far the Riskiest. Retrieved from USA Today: http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-01-24-campus-deaths-cover_x.htm
