Since arriving at AU, I’ve had some great times at the Terrace Dinning Room and some less-than-excellent experiences at TDR too. The Eat Local Challenge Day was wonderful, for example. Honeycrisp apples, cider and other fresh options — all in all, it was a prime TDR experience. But food choices aside, there are a few things that we can do to make TDR experiences better for everyone.
Stop throwing silverware: I honestly have trouble believing that this is an issue for college students, but sure enough, it is. This past Thursday, one of my friends got hit in the side by a flying fork. Somehow it “slipped out of some kid’s hand” from the opposite side of the dining hall. Luckily, she wasn’t hurt, but she definitely could have been, and as TDR is not a war-zone, no one should feel the need to duck and cover while eating dinner. For all of you who are still as mature as middle-school kids: forks, spoons and other eating utensils are not meant to fly, especially halfway across the room. Bon Appétit believes that we are all grown-up enough to handle metal silverware. Let’s not make them change their minds and relegate all of us to the plastic sporks we used in elementary school.
Clean messy tables: I have no desire to walk into TDR to find that the only tables that are empty are covered with dirty silverware, empty hot sauce bottles and used napkins. If we all take the responsibility to clean up after ourselves, we won’t have this problem. Really, it’s not that difficult to clean up your table. The trash cans and dirty silverware containers are right next to where you deposit your dirty plates and where you exit.
Behave better in lines: TDR is as much a social experience as it is a culinary one. We all enjoy talking to our friends while waiting in what are inevitably long lines, but be cognizant of your surroundings as well. When there’s a gap of five feet or more between you and the person in line in front of you for Comfort Zone, it’s probably a good idea to move up. Not only will this make you much more popular with the irritated and hungry people in line behind you, but it also won’t cause the length of the comfort food line to get in the way of people trying to get french fries at the American Grill.
Push in chairs: after one meal at one of TDR’s long tables, it is pretty obvious that whoever decided to put long, curving tables close together was not the engineer of the century. Especially if you’re sitting at the wall-end of the long tables, it’s nearly impossible to navigate the tiny corridor that exists between two tables’ chairs. If you try to sit up to the table and push your chair in when you leave, you’ll save everyone a lot of hassle, and yourself from being pummeled with purses and book bags as people try to squeeze behind you.
Throw away mint wrappers: mints are the best way to end a TDR experience, but don’t be one of those people who throw their wrappers on the floor while walking up the stairs. Really, there are trashcans all over the place. Utilize them.
If we all obey this simple guide to TDR etiquette, the experience that is TDR will be much better for everyone. Really, it’s not that hard. We all have at least once in our lives been polite and courteous to our classmates. Let’s spread that civility to TDR.
Erin Cady is a freshman in the School of Public Affairs and an AU Affairs columnist for The Eagle. You can reach her at edpage@theeagleonline.com.
