There is one place that is always there for me, greeting me with warm gourmet cuisine with each visit, and a “Hi, how are you?”: yes, the dining hall. I think we can all agree that every once in awhile we miss home-cooked meals in college: it is one of the only downsides of it. But, for people like myself who
- have no cooking ability
- pride themselves in being extremely lazy
- live in a dorm
- are foodies for life,
the dining hall becomes our home. I am always greeted there, they know my face, and I know theirs. The employees, especially at Russell (the smaller dining hall on campus) care about my well-being. I don’t know about you, but I tend to be really appreciative and nice to the people that want to feed me. And to be completely fair, the dining hall does not receive nearly as much appreciation as it deserves.
Of course, there are days when many unappetizing questions come into my head: what is that? Why is this crusty? Is this chicken fully cooked? But we have to remember how many hungry college students the people at the dining hall have to feed and how lucky we are to be able to have so many options at our fingertips. At a time where there is so much going on around us, it is nice to know that the dining hall is constant: it is always there to be a meeting spot for your daily freshman gossip or to fill your empty belly. Also, what other time in your life will there be chewy, delicious cookies readily available to you at any time? Although we rarely admit it, we are totally pampered.
The first time I stepped foot in the dining hall, my eyes widened and my smile grew as large as my appetite. I did not realize heaven existed here at the University of Delaware; yet here I was, an eager freshman roaming through Rodney dining hall. I remember getting lost, a lot, and never knew what “Home” or “The Corner Grill” meant. All I wanted to know was where I could find some chicken nuggets. I never really thought it would get boring. Some days I find myself complaining about it, but really I shouldn’t. None of us should. It is the one constant thing in our hectic lives, the one meeting spot we all have where we can always count on some good grubbin’. So on the days when the dining hall seems boring or downright disgusting, just remember all the good that comes out of your daily dining hall trips: the classic freshman chats while the dishes pile up, the make-your-own-omelettes, the woman that dances as she makes quesadillas, the excessive use of Frank’s Red Hot, the greetings from the friendliest dining hall employees but most importantly, the soft cookies, and maybe even getting yelled at to put the chairs back that you moved.
~Avery Beer
