Sophomore Who Decided Not to Join a Meal Plan Has Eaten Dinner Alone in Room for Four Weeks Straight

Engineering sophomore Eric Jayne has decided not to join a meal plan this semester and to instead save some money by eating on his own. Though the move was frugal and bold, it has resulted in a downward spiral of Jayne’s social life, as he has yet to consume a dinner in the presence of another human.  

After his weekly trips to Trader Joe’s, Eric likes to meal prep a few nights’ worth of food. He usually eats those alone in his common room or alone in his bedroom.  When those run out, he switches to TJ’s frozen items or picks something up from Chipotle or Sweetgreen (still bringing his meal somewhere to eat alone).  

“I find it meditative to eat alone,” said Jayne. “I like being independent and eating food I actually want to consume. The only downside is that sometimes I go days without interacting with a friend because it simply doesn’t fit into my eating schedule.”

As he told UTB, Jayne usually ends up staring at his bare white walls while he eats his pre-portioned rice and chicken, devoid of any seasoning whatsoever—a meal just as pathetic and boring as Eric.