Healthy eating doesn’t come without a cost.

According to Science Direct, the price gap between healthy food and junk food is continuously growing, and as of late, growing very quickly.

On college campuses and in the “real world,” healthy eating isn’t the cheapest option out there. Specialty and organic supermarkets around the country generally feature higher prices, but for good reason.

In April 2010, the University of Washington conducted a research study that compared the prices of junk food and healthy food per kilocalorie (kcal). The study concluded that junk food does cost significantly less than fruits and vegetables do. Also, it was gathered from the study was that junk food prices were less likely to have a rise in prices due to inflation, unlike fruits and vegetables and their byproducts. As public interest in healthier, organic food choices has risen over the past 10 years or so, so have their prices due to their high demand.

The phrase “poor college student” comes to mind.

College students, particularly freshmen, are learning to adjust to living on their own and taking care of themselves. With mom no longer around sneaking broccoli onto their plates, it falls on the student’s shoulders to be accountable for their nutrition and eating balanced meals

In many cases, students do not have the resources or the budget to purchase these types of food and end up settling with what they can afford: junk food.

Students living in the residence halls have a lot of easy access to both healthy and junk foods through the campus dining halls and their meal plans.

While students have just about equal access to both, the healthy food choices in residence dining halls at the University of Oregon are generally more “points” than the unhealthier options.

For example, a bag of Goldfish snack crackers is four “points,” meanwhile a bag of Kind granola is six.

The University of Oregon does, however, do a good job of making healthier options more accessible to students, particularly those in the dorms. The Grab-and-Go is a great way for students to grab a quick breakfast before class, or a protein bar for the walk there.

I get it, it is a lot easier and sometimes more convenient, to grab something quick and often times not nutritious. However, students should try to have a healthy, rounded breakfast, lunch and dinner, at least a few times a week.

I think that students would tend to lean towards the more nutritious options over the junk food options if they were cheaper. I understand that since healthy food is more expensive, it would naturally be worth more “points.” Maybe if the university were to raise prices on the unhealthier food options and lowered those of the healthy ones, more people would be willing to try out a healthier lifestyle.

“I am a sinner.”

These were the words that Pope Francis uttered in a September 2013 interview with La Civiltà Cattolica, an Italian Jesuit newspaper. Such a blunt statement made by him was unexpected and shocking, given the negative and human connotation that sometimes comes with the word “sinner.”

This is not the first statement from the newly-elected pope that has sparked conversation and caused some to raise their eyebrows. His comments on “hot button” topics, particularly gay rights, have been completely different from those of the popes that preceded him.

In the same interview as above, he addressed homosexuality.

“Tell me: When God looks at a gay person, does he endorse the existence of this person with love or reject and condemn this person?” Pope Francis asked. “In life, God accompanies persons and we must accompany them, starting from their situation. It is necessary to accompany them with mercy. When that happens, the Holy Spirit inspires the priest to say the right thing.”

I grew up as a “cradle Catholic” and attended Catholic school for 13 years of my life. As I grew older and became more politically aware, I began to develop views that were extremely contradictory to my own faith. Recently, I had been skeptical of my religion and whether or not I wanted to continue practicing it throughout my adult life because of my political and social views.

Being a part of an organization that was not supportive of homosexuals and their lifestyles didn’t sit well with me. While I am not homosexual, I did not support the idea of saying it was “wrong” to be gay.

It was not until Pope Francis’ recent comments that I had decided to give Catholicism another chance. He preaches practices of true love for all human beings in a religion that historically has looked down upon women and homosexuals. His refreshing viewpoints are what are changing the sometimes outdated practices of the Catholic Church.

“As a young Catholic I think that Pope Francis has been an incredibly uplifting and transformational figure for the Catholic Church and my faith personally,” Peer minister at the St. Thomas More Newman Center Sarah Schneider said. “I think that he has reignited the hearts of many Catholics around the world who before were complacent in their faith and unaware of the possibility of seeing things in a new light.”

It is hard to live in a society that encourages people to be accepting of homosexuals while your religion that you’ve grown up with is telling you to do the opposite. I was internally conflicted, to say the least.

Do you trust your morals? Do you defy the practices of your religion to stand for what you believe in?

Perhaps with Francis, I can do both. His fresh take on prevalent social issues are ones that allow me to not feel so guilty about supporting same-sex marriage and other “controversial” issues.

“Pope Francis is beginning to put off vibes that present himself as more accessible to the people,” David Reis, courtesy assistant professor and adjunct instructor of religious studies at the University of Oregon, said.

The pope’s messages are encouraging to young people all over the world. Something that makes him so appealing is how relatable and accessible he is to the people. Would you have ever expected the pope to have a Twitter account that he updates regularly?  He uses the Twitter handle @Pontifex and posts simple, yet profound tweets that are unlike any that my followers would post.

“@Pontifex: The love of God is not generic. God looks with love upon every man and woman, calling them by name.”

The pope’s public care for the marginalized is another thing that stood out to me. His non-discriminatory compassion can possibly be credited to the poverty that he experienced every day in Argentina. His humble beginnings allow for him to open his arms to all people: sick, dying, homosexual, male or female.

“He never acts like he’s up on a pedestal, rather that he is person who loves God and serves other people,”  Peer minister at the St. Thomas More Newman Center Aimee Fritsch said. ”I love that he is approachable, that he hugs children and makes phone calls to people who have written to him.”

So thank you, Pope Francis, for reinstalling in my once-skeptical religious views. Thank you for preaching the Bible’s true message of love and compassion. Thank you for being the fresh perspective that the 1500-year-old institution that is the Catholic Church has needed.

It’s no secret that Miley Cyrus has made a comeback this year. She has gone against the grain in almost every aspect of her career and, in turn, has gotten people talking and has resurrected her popularity.

There are five main reasons why I believe Miley Cyrus is making the right choices in regard to her career.

1. Unique style

It all started with the hair cut — the moment when Miley plunged her way back to the top of pop culture discussions all over the world. When she buzzed and bleached her long brown locks, people could tell that Miley was staging something huge. Her nude-colored, latex outfit that she wore during her performance on the MTV Video Music Awards also received a lot of feedback, both negative and positive, via social media and fashion blogs all over the net.

2. Controversial statements

Ms. Cyrus has made many comments over the course of the past year. Whether it’s sex, drugs or other celebs, Miley has commented on it. Her most recent jab was at Beyonce, calling her outdated and stating that she lacked fresh blood, unlike herself. Needless to say, these comments thrown by Cyrus have not been received well and have caused her to be criticized by many media sites and fan bases. She is also one to be quite open about her recent drug use, even commenting to Rolling Stone, “I think weed is the best drug on earth … and molly, too.”

3. Racy music videos

In 2013, Cyrus dropped her fourth album, Bangerz. Her first singles off of the album, “Wrecking Ball,” “We Can’t Stop” and “Adore You” did not come without crazy music videos. Going against the pop music grain and the old Miley that we all knew, her videos featured nudity, steam and just when we thought we had seen it all, Cyrus riding a wrecking ball completely bare. Her “We Can’t Stop” video broke the record for fastest video to reach 100 million views on Vevo, and later, Cyrus shattered that record with her “Wrecking Ball” video, according to E! Online. Seems like Miley may know what she is doing after all.

4. Making people mad

Miley’s 2013 antics have left many people with a bad taste in their mouth and a lot of anger toward the 21-year-old starlet. When she “twerked” all over Robin Thicke during their VMA performance, she received huge backlash from the Parents Television Council, causing one mother to write an article titled “Dear Daughter, Let Miley Cyrus Be a Lesson To You.” But Miley still wins, because even people who don’t like her are spending their time talking about her and raising her profile.

5. Doing whatever she wants, whenever she wants

She says it herself in the track titled “Do My Thang” off of Bangerz. In 2013 she did exactly that. Miley Cyrus did whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted and answered to no one. Perhaps this was why people tend to despise her so much.

Who else dances with giant teddy bears on stage? Or violates herself on national TV with a foam finger?

Miley does.

Miley knows exactly what she is doing. She did these things to get talked about, to start conversation. After all, making a comeback is no easy feat … And neither is shaking the “goodie goodie” image that Disney so forcefully stamped on her.

I like what Cyrus is doing. While I do not agree with all the messages that she sends forth, I do appreciate her individuality and desire to break the mold.