Written by Shamira James
Commons has always been one of my favorite places on campus.
The staff is lovely, the laughs with your friends are always iconic and some of the Commons dishes hit the spot like home cookin’.
As someone who enjoys eating a lot (no, I mean A LOT), whether it’s the main dishes, whatever I can whip up at the pasta station or the sandwich bar, I love being in Commons and I was so thrilled to return to my favorite place again.
I walked into Commons, smiling at whichever wonderful staff member swiped my Maroon Card and walked to my table in the back room. Everything looked the same but there was something new – disturbingly new. I turned my head and there I saw it: a sign that said that taking ice cream out of Commons was not allowed anymore.
I felt betrayed and hurt, like a lover I had once trusted had suddenly told me that he couldn’t hold my hand in public anymore. Okay, that’s dramatic, but I was hurt and confused more than anything. I always knew people taking plates and cups was an issue because that’s legitimate school property, but ice cream, y’all? The best meals I’ve had in Commons have always ended with me grabbing a frozen treat, preferably a strawberry shortcake popsicle, and walking back to my room to take a good food coma nap.
Aside from it being MY food and I’ll take it anywhere my grubby little fingers desire, taking an ice cream with me and lounging anywhere on campus in the sun used to be tradition. As a senior, seeing so many things change on this campus makes me nostalgic. When I saw the brick stage was gone in my junior year, I had instantly remembered all the times I had on that stage. When all the trees were cut down by Crawford, I remembered all the hours I spent under those trees instead of doing homework. What I’m getting at is while ice cream might seem like a minimal thing to some people, but it’s just one of those little quirks that has shaped my RC experience and I’m gonna hate having to say goodbye to bringing it to-go.
