Thoughts of cafeteria staff bring to mind memories of middle school, with so-called food put in front of you in scoops of who-knows-what; or the salad bar, where you find the three kids in front of you just coughed and sneezed all over the ranch dressing; and the lunch workers, who worked every day in the cafeteria having to deal with all the little pre-teen girls chattering about the boy who borrowed their pencils in class and the guys who, in this stage, were overwhelmingly awkward. How did those lunch workers deal with so many kids, so much food and so little time?
Years have passed since those middle school days and we have moved on to bigger and better things at the University. Eating is no longer the dreaded activity it used to be -- instead it is one of the highlights of University life. Thoughts of food linger in students' minds during those long lectures right before noon. Students counting down to Christmas might as well be counting down to home-cooked meals.
While many of the older students at the University tend to take their meals off Grounds, many still do have some sort of on-Grounds meal plan. Although meals prepared in Newcomb Hall and Observatory Hill lack the familiar atmosphere of our dining rooms at home, the staff does their best to make the on-Grounds dining experience a welcoming one.
Students dining at Newcomb Hall begin their meal experience with a friendly greeting at the card swipe. "Hello Sugar! How are you doing today?"
Employees show their care for students every time a student walks into the dining hall.
One such employee, Hazel Morris, also known as "Hamburger Hazel" or simply "Mom," has provided service here for over 30 years, going on 35, and says she has fallen completely in love with her job. But it's not just being a supervisor that makes her like her job so much.
"I like the students because they keep me young and vibrant," Morris said.
Because the students are all so nice, she said, it makes her job more interesting.
"I try to be one-on-one, you know, personal, to make everyone feel at home and welcomed," she said.
Hazel is far from just another "lunch lady." She helps feed the students, but also welcomes them, creating a sense of home away from home.
Renne Haynes, another member of the dining hall staff, also said she likes the interaction.
"Talking to the students is enjoyable," Haynes said. "I think they trust me and respect me."
Haynes wasn't the only one who raved about the pleasure of student interaction.
"I feel blessed that students know my name," Morris said.
The employees agreed that a good, kind word from a student to a member of the staff often makes their day.
Not only do the dining-hall employees enjoy talking with students, but they care for them as well.
Cathy Brown mentioned that the staff does not know if a student is having a bad day or not, so they try to make a warm welcome. Even if someone drops his or her tray, staff members rush to the rescue.
"If a student makes an accident, I'm here for them," Brown said. Especially during the peaks of the semester --midterms and finals
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