West Chester University has some of the most helpful and kind staff members that you are likely to find on a college campus. They are eager to help you understand the materials, guide your educational path and move you forward to graduating with a degree that will land you the perfect job. When we think of the staff here at WCU, we immediately think of the teachers and advisors that help us with our career and even the people who maintain our dorms every day. However, we very often forget about one particular group of people.
The food service staff here at West Chester are truly some of the kindest people I interact with on a daily basis. While some of you may not believe me due to negative experiences you may have had, give me a chance to show you otherwise. If you walk into Lawrence for lunch, you are stopped at the door to have your ID swiped, Annie will greet you with a smile and wish you a good day as she lets you in to eat.
Wandering around in Lawrence deciding what you might get to eat could land you over in the Side Café. If you decide on a rice bowl for the day, then Daryll is your man. Daryll is one of the funniest guys who works in Lawrence. Not only is he kind, but if you frequently patron the rice bowl area, Daryll will have your order memorized. When he first told me that he’d eventually have my order memorized, I didn’t believe it. I mean, think about how many people probably stop by his station each day, but when I watched him put another student’s order together without asking what he wanted, I was pretty impressed.
West Chester is a fairly large school so it can be easy to get lost in the crowd, but the food service staff here always manages to make students feel special and important. Whenever I eat at Lawrence, I am always asked how my day is going and what I’ve got planned for the day.
Not only do the staff at Lawrence treat the students well, the folks at The Diner are also great people to talk to. In all the times that I’ve gone to The Diner, which recently has been a lot, the service workers, despite the hectic environment, have been both kind and even apologetic when they start to get busy. I know how frustrating waiting for food can be; I get off from work at 8 p.m. and don’t really want to wait in The Diner for a half hour while my food is made, but unfortunately there is nothing anyone can do about that.
The thing that a lot of students forget is that these staff members are human too. They are impacted by the people around them just like we are. One negative comment can change the way someone’s day goes, so next time you’re waiting for food somewhere, there are two things to do.
The first is, if you feel that you’ve been waiting for a long time, walk to the counter and politely ask if your number has been called. If you’ve been waiting for a while, the people at The Diner will absolutely call to the back to see where your meal is, and if you’re lucky, you may even get a free milkshake out of it. The second and more important thing to remember is to be patient and understanding. They can’t make your food cook any faster and there may be people who ordered before you. Nobody likes being rushed or yelled at for something they can’t control.
The food service staff are some of the most attentive and kind people you will encounter on a daily basis. So, the next time you stop for a meal anywhere on campus, make sure to ask how their day has been and to wish them a good day when you leave. I promise that it will make all the difference to them, and when they start to recognize you, you’ll see how much of an impact you have made.
Caroline Remelius is a first-year student majoring in marketing. She can be reached at CR862734@wcupa.edu.