If there’s one thing that’s clear this year (to everyone but the freshmen), it’s that there’s suddenly way too many people on campus. The Starbucks and Tim Horton’s lines literally never end, and you have to wade your way through crowds of people before most classes. Still, there’s one problem that tops both of these annoyances: there’s not enough seats in the cafeteria.
I haven’t encountered this problem at Colman Commons as much as I have at the Davis Building. You can enter an empty cafeteria and find it filled to the brim after you’ve gotten your food five minutes later.
Nothing kills the excitement of devouring lunch like having nowhere to sit and enjoy it. I can’t even begin to count the number of times I’ve raced to a vacant table and lost it to a group of people that were closer to the table *lowers head shamefully and walks away*.
I’ll admit, I found eating at a table with strangers absurd in my first year here. When the TFC got crowded, my amazing social skills would kick in and I would eat alone in my dorm room. However, as time passed, the cafeteria only got busier (and I grew more desperate to eat my food). I noticed that rarely anybody cares if you ask to sit with them. In a worst-case scenario a) they say the seat’s taken, or b) they just say no. There’s no use in taking offense from a situation like that. If you receive these responses, don’t be afraid to ask again at the next half-empty table you see.
If you’re really looking to avoid as much discomfort as possible, asking someone who’s sitting by themselves (who may also be avoiding pre-congested tables) is probably a good place to start.
Have you ever had an awkward crowded cafeteria experience? Drop us something to laugh at in the comments box!
