On a typical weekday, I’m done with classes in the early afternoon and head right to the Russell dining hall. Being slightly more introverted, I’m not one for the crowd of people; I usually take my food to-go and eat it in my room and watch Netflix. The process is usually repeated at dinner time. I decided to break the routine and observe the behaviors of students at the dining hall during dinner time. 

During my observation, I noticed different people and friend groups talking to one another. Some groups were diverse in terms of their ethnicities and genders, and some were not. Despite what they looked like or what they were talking about, I noticed that at least one person was using a phone or laptop in each of the groups. Some people were using their phones to show pictures or videos to their friends, but others were sitting on their phone instead of engaging in conversation. 

When I’m at home, my family has a strict no-phone policy during dinner. Every night, dinner is started with a prompt, “No phones at the dinner table,” from my mom. Although I was using my laptop during dinner, to write this, I realized that usually, I don’t use my phone while I’m eating. I am guilty, however, of frequently using my phone while with friends. 

The dining halls are great places to people-watch, and Russell Dining Hall served as an eye-opener to me. It helped me realize that technology has such a grip on this generation, that most people, including me, can’t put their phones down whether they’re with people or not.