UVic reverses decision to get rid of the snack at residence diner

Sometimes it can seem as though the world is more divided than ever before. The cost of living is going up, the news gets darker every day, and physical and ideological wars rage all across the planet.

But something happens every once in awhile that unites the people. A common enemy is identified, and people put aside their differences to right the wrong that has been done.

At UVic, that common enemy was the lack of a particular greasy, cheesy snack.

Caps Bistro, a popular late-night eatery for students living in residence, announced they would no longer be serving their mozzarella sticks, citing a shift towards healthier food.

Sarina de Havelyn, a second-year student, wasn’t happy with the decision.

“They made the ‘responsible’ decision to discontinue the sticks as each serving has 420 calories and 1,800 mg of sodium. Personally, I don’t care about these reasons,” de Havelyn said over Facebook messenger. “We are all of legal mozza-buying age and should be allowed to make these decisions ourselves.”

Others agreed with her, and their outrage was sudden and furious.

A petition was quickly struck up, which received almost 500 signatures. Students also emailed UVic Food Services by the dozens.

“UVic Food responded to most if not all of those who sent messages saying that they hear us and that they were unaware of the effect mozza had on the hearts of hundreds,” de Havelyn explained.

But with the mozzarella still gone, the comments continued. Scores of students, some from other universities, commented on the petition. Their reasons for signing differed, but all were compelling in their own right.

“I had mozza sticks once and it was a relatively important moment in my life,” said Andrea Vanrensurg. “Cant beleive [sic] they’d try and take that away from me.”

“Words cannot express the feelings I associate with mozza sticks,” cried Lynnéa Chan. “The bonding, the music, the lies, the pain. Truly, a loss would be upon UVic if this great pillar of emotional support fell.”

“Please bring back the mozzarella sticks so my friends will stop complaining about this,” wrote Gillian Smith.

On Thursday, Sept. 21, their prayers were answered. UVic Food Services’ official Instagram page announced the return of the mozzarella sticks and an “I love mozza sticks” pin available for pick-up with the purchase of mozzarella sticks.

“You asked, we listened,” the caption read. “Cap’s mozza sticks make their return Friday September 22nd.”

“I’m so HAPPY,” gushed Kate Bernier on a Facebook post announcing the news.

“Truly the best thing to happen in 2017,” wrote Sky T. Losier.

“God is real,” wrote @erydillonn on UVic Foods’ Instagram post.

Hundreds of students cheered their success, and thousands of student arteries grimaced at the calories soon to come.

With mozza sticks returning, all that’s left is the memory of a community that fought and won for what it believed in. But why was the response so intense?

“This year has been particularly hard in terms of politics, the increasing effects of climate change on our environment, the economic strains of being a student in the 21st century,” de Havelyn explained. “When UVic discontinued mozza sticks, we knew it was the last straw — an unnecessary evil in an already bleak existence.

“I would argue that despite its seemingly trivial nature, it gave people an achievable goal to rally for. It united our campus, gave us a purpose, and made us feel like we were part of something more than ourselves,” she continued. “This unity was felt on Facebook, on the Change.org petition, and by the UVic Food Services themselves. Together, we made real, meaningful change.”

That could be it. Or, as de Havelyn also admitted: “Deep fried cheese tastes good.”