Food Court Battle

            Noon and the food court I decided to eat at is bustling with people. Lines extend from the four vendors open. Talk fills the air. The energy here is much different than that of the Coffee Shop and from the game this past weekend. I would say that it is more in the middle with more talk than the Coffee Shop and less yelling from the game. All around me, students and instructors alike enjoy a midday meal. Some of the students are studying, the ones who are alone. Other students who sit alone are playing on their phones. All the tables have someone occupying them. Tables that have two or more occupants buzz with conversation. Outside the window, it is the same scene. Though, perhaps it is a little quieter without the indoor echo.

            The food court seems to be a popular way station for the students. Students who have time between classes but see no point in going home during the time between. It’s a limbo to pass the time before we must hurry to class.

            The most popular vender is the one that sells burritos. A long line twines between tables and towards the door. Homemade tortillas. Fresh ingredients. It is hard to pass up something like that. Not to mention that it is the cheapest priced in this food court.

            There isn’t much talk where I am siting, but echoes of other conversation threatens to drown out the music coming from my headphone. I can’t exactly pinpoint it, but I am sure that it is coming from the east side of the food court, across from where I am. A popular place indeed.

            Being right next to the two libraries on campus, this food court, one of two on campus, offers the perfect getaway from studying. That is unless of course, you decide to study while you eat which is what some of the students here are doing. Myself including while I write this blog. Some of the students that come in prefer to order their food, grab it and go. Typical take out. But it is understandable. There are hardly any tables that don’t have anyone sitting at them, alone or not.

            A sudden decrease in volume suggests a large amount of students has left. Whether they have gone home, and by home I mean their dorm or on-campus apartment, or class, I don’t know. The music coming from my lone headphone becomes easier to hear. The lull in students allows one employee to clean the display cases of the vender in my line of sight. A custodian takes out the full trash bag and replaces it with an empty one. Scraping chairs signal more students either leaving or sitting to enjoy their lunch and each other’s company.

            Only a few tables around me have conversations coming from them. The majority of the talk is coming from the tables near the vendors out of my line of sight. Namely the burrito place and the Chinese food place where there are the most tables.

            With the lowered talking volume, some shouting, food orders mostly, from the vendors can be heard. Not one of the students, I think has looked at the screen by the west door, flashing announcements.

            Lines begin to form again. More students stopping in between classes for a quick bite. Well, as quick as they can get with the length of the lines. But it has yet to get louder.

            A change of shoes from a student across from me. Personally, I would have stayed in the sandals because of the warm weather. But to each her own.

            The volume begins to rise again as more and more students get out of class and make their way to get food. Lines still dominate as I exit the food court, a pit stop on the way to class.