Photo by Annette Darpoh ‘27.
Gabriella Rodriguez ’27
Section Editor
It’s a scenario that is all too common: You finish your meal in the Dining Commons and pick up your plates and cups. As soon as you enter the dish drop-off area, you are overcome with the thick and suffocating smell of who-knows-what. With a low droning sound, the conveyor belt rattles against tipped-over cups. The sides of the belt are splattered with sauce, milk, yogurt, coffee and sticky fluids; crumpled tea bags, pieces of food, stray forks and soggy napkins litter the space. Accidents happen, but this is a disaster on its own level.
Additionally, despite the distinct drop-off spaces for silverware and chopsticks, there continues to be an overwhelming number of plates and bowls on the conveyor belt that still have these utensils. While I understand there are times when students are in a rush, there is no excuse for how frequently this happens. And while these details may seem trivial, their effects are amplified when we consider the larger picture: every time a student fails to separate their dishes and utensils, a staff worker must do it for them — an added responsibility that they should not need to deal with. A simple action goes a long way, and we can make a positive difference.
Another reason for this disregard on students’ behalf might be the divide between students and staff. Whereas most of the other stations in the dining hall feature transparent barriers, where students can see the dining hall staff at work, the dish-drop station hides its workers behind a wall. I believe that this might create an “out of sight, out of mind” mentality for some students when they drop off their dishes, disconnecting them from the mechanical conveyor belt and the human beings who work behind it. It is crucial for us to remember the people that make our dining hall functional. There are so many aspects of the dining experience, and every single worker plays an important role. Just because we do not see someone working does not mean they are not there performing an essential job.
A similar principle applies to other messy areas in the dining hall. For example, the station with tea, coffee and hot chocolate is often covered with small puddles; the cereal station has scattered pieces of cereal, wheat shreds and spilled milk. The toppings bar next to the ice cream station shares a similar issue, with sprinkles and mini marshmallows frequently spilled across the counter. While we may not always see workers in this area, we need to remember that the staff members who clean these spaces must deal with these additional messes on top of the standard cleaning that they perform around the dining hall.
Messes will happen, but we should be proactive when they do. Say, for example, that you unintentionally spill your drink in the middle of a busy area — do you take action, or do you leave that responsibility to someone else? While it might be tempting to just walk away, doing so only causes more problems for your fellow students and the dining hall staff. Liquid on the floor is a slipping hazard, especially during peak hours. This does not mean you need to mop up an entire mess by yourself. However, you cannot ignore the messes you make, and you must think about how your actions impact other students and staff. Again, I recognize that accidents are inevitable, and I am no exception: Sometimes, I misjudge the amount of milk I pour, fill my mug to the brim and accidentally spill my tea as I walk over to the table. We are all prone to mistakes, and errors are only natural, but we should take responsibility when we make them.
Moreover, I feel that the real issue here is not a spare mess but carelessness. When people acknowledge that they make a mess yet do nothing about it, they only make it more difficult for the staff workers who have to clean up these accidents later. Whether or not we are acquainted with the people who work in the dining hall, it is important for us all to be considerate of the time and effort they dedicate toward making our dining experience possible. We should not make their jobs any more difficult than they need to be.
In conclusion, the way that we interact with stations in the dining hall reflects on us as students and community members. It is our collective responsibility to make our dining hall a positive and respectful environment, and I have confidence that we can do this together.