Student Bon employees talk joys and frustrations at work

By Mary-Claire Spurgin

Ever since classes started last month, students’ frustration over the shortened hours at the Trail Room and long lines at the Bon has made it seem as if the most unifying experience on campus is complaining about dining options.

As much as students may complain about the dining options on campus, though, many of their peers rely on the Bon for their work-study.

Jeremiah Thomas P. Koshy ’21, one of the students who works at the Bon, said that he’s enjoyed his job so far.

“A big plus point for me is that I get to meet so many students, and to think that I could make their day just that little bit more pleasant by a smile or asking how they’re doing,” Koshy said via email.

Not all Bon workers are as positive as Koshy, though. Recently, one student Bon worker started a Facebook page called The Angry Bon Worker, where they post complaints about the students who eat there.

The Angry Bon Worker, who wishes to remain anonymous, said that although the page “was kind of made originally to entertain myself,” it has become an important outlet for them.

“I want to raise awareness for cafeteria etiquette,” the Angry Bon Worker said.  “What’s really evident is there’s a huge disconnect between what’s   happening in the Bon and what students see, so I want there to be more transparency.”

Another student Bon worker, Giulia Cordella ’21, mentioned that a great deal of food goes to waste in the Bon.

“Service closes at 8 p.m.,” Cordella said. “And until 8, we have to put the food out. So if someone comes at 7:55 and there’s no pasta, they have to make more, so there’s this whole thing of pasta that just gets thrown out. And if a student wants to take food out, they say no, but the same food just ends up getting thrown out.”

The Angry Bon Worker agrees about the waste.

“There was this one time someone stole a whole bag of cereal. Then I was walking around near Copeland, and there was just a pile of cereal on the ground,” the Angry Bon Worker said. “People have such indifference to their actions and how they might (impact)others.”

Simone Williams ’18 said that the Bon as a whole is fairly green, but health codes require that workers throw away any food that has been handled with students.

“I understand that there is a risk of spreading illness, but I still wish we could give extra food to an organization (like) Food Not Bombs,” Williams said.

Cordella said that  it’s quite a bit of work for one person to clean all of the tables once service ends for the night.

“If you do your part to clean your space, it’s so much easier for everyone else,” Cordella said.

Additionally, Williams said that the Bon has a closing time for a reason.

“I really want to go home after four hours of serving,” Williams said. “Some people stay until 8:20 and beyond … I will have to stay late to clean (their) tables.”

Koshy encourages students to show their gratitude.

 “Just having a little appreciation and courtesy goes a long way,” Koshy said. “We try to have a smile and be our best self because we think it makes a difference. And while we’ll keep doing that no matter how the other students respond, it just makes it that much    easier when you hear a ‘thank you’ or ‘have a nice day.’”

The Angry Bon Worker advises diners to “be conscientious of your actions. The people behind the counter are people just like you… There can be a much more cohesive environment, with much less grievances against one another, if everyone just considers the consequences of their actions.”