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I’m sure we’ve all seen those flashy green containers around.

Whether we’ve used them ourselves to simultaneously enjoy a delectable Veritaffle and not be 20 minutes late to that dreaded Friday 9 a.m. section, or watched a friend lug it around through their 12-hour trek throughout the Science Center Plaza, this precious cargo has quickly integrated itself into Harvard life and culture. And with it has come conversations of “remember when we could throw these away,” with the occasional “shoot! I accidentally threw mine away.” (Just me? Oh okay…) #fivedollarspoorer

The introduction of these to-go boxes has certainly been polarizing. I’m sure sophomores like me vividly remember the neat and compact paper vessels we used to be able to pile high in our arms with HUDS brownies, then just toss away when we were done without a care in the world. I’m sure we all remember the limitless packs of utensils that we could dispose of to our hearts’ content. Perhaps the juniors and seniors have imparted their ancient wisdom about the even better times (the same as us sophomores, I just wanted an excuse to call them out for being unc).

Those must have been the good ol’ days, right?

Now, as our psets and readings pile up, our to-go boxes pile up even higher, because it can be such an inconvenience to go out of your way to return them. Sometimes, we’ll return one and immediately need another, feeling like Sisyphus, always having to carry the weight of a to-go box all day. Sometimes, we’ll throw it out, forgetting we can’t do that, or somehow lose it despite it relentlessly being in our grasp or our backpack (or so we thought…still just me? Ugh, okay).

Why do we have to deal with the stress of eating on the go when there are so many other alternatives that don’t require a $5 fee looming over our heads? Maybe it’s just me, who has evidently lost a to-go box and almost never found it, who has accidentally thrown one out and had to fish it out because I don’t want a missing container on my academic record. Maybe I’m the rare unicorn that has been weighed down by the lump of the box in my backpack, as I have to wait until the next time I’m in Quincy House.

I may have forgotten to bring it back to the Dhall after I do all of that, and add it to my collection of pending $5 fees. I may have a stack of five in my room right now. Don’t come for me, Dean Deming; I could very well be the problem here due to my culinary negligence, but certainly, there are larger issues at play! Harvard can’t be so greedy that they really NEED those to-go boxes back. Why can’t we just, you know… keep them?

Don’t get me wrong, they’re pretty decent boxes, but what was wrong with the paper boxes anyway? Was this change for the environment? Probably, but Harvard should be changing many other things for the benefit of the environment — don’t take it out on our dining experience!

I’m probably too passionate about this, but these boxes can really serve as an inconvenience when I need to get food and walk to the Science Center in under 10 minutes, the nail in my coffin of doom, of being cursed to be in the plaza area for the rest of my day. Lunch-less, perhaps dinner-less, too. And although I’m somewhat getting used to the habit, I’d really prefer we go back to the olden days of disposable boxes again. At this point, HUDS is tired of me continuously asking for to-go boxes (knowing dang well I have five on my desk) and, heck, I’m tired of me too. Harvard, please hear my plea. Please make our days merry and bright again.