Don't Eat Alone

As I’m walking to the food court one day, I thought: man, another day eating by myself. I can’t take this anymore. I know I have a tendency to eat early but there’s got to be someone there I can sit with. My wishes were granted. My roommate and a girl I know happened to be eating at the same time. We sat together and had a good time. That experience made me enjoy dinner a lot more.

Students, get in the habit of eating with others. No matter when you eat, there will likely be someone you know eating as well. It doesn’t matter how close you are to the person; just sit with him/her.

Eating alone is not a good experience. I experienced this my first year in college. It didn’t bother me at first. The more I noticed I was in the minority, the eager I was to fix the problem. It was easier said than done. I’m not much of a social person; but I was able to come out of my comfort zone. To this day, whenever I see a familiar face, I sit with him/her. It causes me to take my time eating and develop people skills.

OK, let me get back on topic. Just use my experience as a lesson.

Conversations while eating are boundless. You can talk about anything from academics to personal life (don’t get too personal though). There’s been a few occasions where others told me too much while eating. In general, conversations mainly focus on academics. It’s good to discover that others have similar feelings regarding scholastics; most of the time, you find this out over dinner.

Research shows that eating with others causes students to eat healthier. Students have a tendency to consume more fruits and vegetables. This is true because it applies to me. One time, I ate chicken wings and fries. The person I sat with ate a healthier meal. Yeah, I felt guilty; but I still enjoyed my wings. However, it made me think twice about my food consummation during future social interactions. I now say: since he/she is eating vegetables, let me put a couple on my plate.

Anyways, don’t put too much into the study. I was just throwing it out there.

Eating with others will benefit in the future. Many job interviews take place over lunch. So why not practice now? Company meetings also take place over lunch. It’s time to learn how to conduct yourself. Employers don’t want to hire slobs. My uncle always tells me about proper etiquette while eating. I’m glad he stayed on me because I’m reaping the benefits. I can eat in front of others without wondering what I’m doing wrong.

So when you’re at the food court, sit with someone, especially if that person is alone. Chances are they want company. Just because someone sits by their self doesn’t mean they’re happy about it. And, don’t be nervous if you see a familiar face eating with others you don’t know. This scenario helps you make friends. The more people you meet, the more people you have to eat with.