People always said Hill College House was like getting the clap — no one wanted it, but at best would always be an indisputable stamp of sociability.
Personally, I saw Hill differently. I called it the house of nurture. Its first-class brunch made me strong: as a weak freshman, I quickly developed the guts needed to survive at Penn. Brunch was also a time to relax, to unwind. It was a time to exchange ideas over gourmet omelets and cappuccino. And last weekend, after some weird Rocky Horror shit, I did the Time Warp, and there I was, in Hill.
But instead of hunger, I felt sharp pangs of guilt.
Few looked happy to be on the other side of the counter. And even though we throw around “thanks” and “please” like hotcakes on a griddle, the disconnect between students and employees was so stark that it was almost too unpleasant to enjoy eating there. A year earlier, we had our moms and dads feed us. At college, strangers do it. I find this disconcerting. We just left the nest; who’s feeding me my worms?
I don’t blame the employees for their lack of enthusiasm. As many of us know, Penn does not treat its staff exceptionally well. Still, something needs to be worked out. I want to feel comfortable eating.
What if Penn students were required to work in the kitchens? That way, we would know what’s in our food — I’m sure there’s nothing bad in there anyway — and we’d gain a better understanding of what it’s like to work behind the scenes. Kids work in their high school cafeterias, and we’re in college — supposedly this means we’re more competent, mature, and empathetic. Let’s prove it.
Tags: brunch, Hill College House
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February 12th, 2008 at 8:45 pm
“What if Penn students were required to work in the kitchens?”
It’s an interesting question — and, I think, a good idea. At Bryn Mawr, where I was an undergrad, everyone *was* required to work in the dining halls. In fact, dining halls were staffed almost entirely by students, except for high-up supervisors and cooks. Students were very close with the professional staff they worked with, and there was a very collegial environment behind-the-scenes.
All students were required to work in a dining hall before they could apply for other jobs on campus — it was the mandated entry-level position for all other campus jobs. At a school where a majority of students do work-study, you felt like an oddball for *not* working in a dining hall. Some people complained, but I think it made the dining hall experience better all around.
I can’t imagine how such a policy might transform Penn…