Read the letter a student sent us in reply to a vending machine survey.

To whom it may concern,

I was in dire need of gum this afternoon. After eating Korean-Mexican fusion for lunch, I am sure you can imagine the taste I would have loved to get out of my mouth with the help of a stick of Wrigley's mint gum.

Luckily, the building in which I chose to study, the Klaus Advanced Computing Building, is equipped with a vending machine. I walked to the machine, eager for the relief a stick of gum would provide me from my kimchi-queso breath.

My three quarters were accepted by the machine, and all that was left standing between me and a minty fresh mouth was the punching of two digits, and the releasing of my package of gum. So, the digits were punched, and I waited for the gum to drop from the grasp of the machine. And I waited... And I waited... Looking up from the gum, I saw the machine had a demand- "make a new selection."

Aghast, but still determined to be orally refreshed however possible, I evaluated my options. The other two gum options were out of stock, but there did remain a package of Life Savers. Would the Life Savers save me? I punched the digits, and waited, eyes glued to the glass, praying I would not be denied the Life Savers as I had been the mint gum. This time, no digital demand appeared- no "make a new selection," no words on the screen. Also, no Life Savers. The Life Savers remained in their row, quietly laughing at my plight.

Moments later, the screen thought it funny to further mock my bad luck- "ready," it said. Ready for what? The machine was ready for a new customer, another unsuspecting student from whom it could steal 75 cents. I did not receive my gum or my Life Savers, nor was I returned my hard-earned three quarters of a dollar. Most importantly, my mouth continued to reek, my confidence plummeted, and now, twelve hours later, I am on the verge of a meltdown, one that could have been avoided if the vending machine was properly functioning.

When I chose to attend THE Georgia Institute of Technology, my hopes for the quality of the institution's vending machines were high. I am enormously disappointed, and I will need to reconsider my choice of university for the upcoming semester. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

A Student Who Just Wanted A Stick of Gum, or, If Possible, a Refund