Dining Hall Dialogues
By Hannah Johnson
The dining halls at Salem State University are full of tables, chairs, food… and people.
Lindsey Ryan, a communications student at Salem State University, is quite the conversationalist. Upon discovering Lindsey Monday morning, she was reading through her notes to get ready for class while simultaneously sipping from her piping hot earl grey tea in the Central Campus dining hall. Being a coffee person, I asked her why she chose tea in the morning, she said “I have a pretty delicate stomach, I can’t eat most of what everyone else eats.” Lindsey began to tell me about her job at Whole Foods and how her employment actually helps with her diet restrictions. “I get a decent discount on their food, supplements, and beauty products,” she said, “and that really helps, otherwise I couldn’t afford the groceries!” Although many may see her situation as a curse, Lindsey explains her food restrictions are a blessing in disguise saying, “I’m very passionate about living a healthy and natural lifestyle. I’ve never eaten healthier than I am right now, and that’s important for everyone, not just people with a limited diet.”
“Happy Halloween!” said Laurel Mulligan. She was cozied up on one of the smaller chairs in the Central Dining hall, pinging away on her iPhone. The Salem State alumni told me she was waiting for a friend to get out of class, and that they had planned to spend the day on Winter Island, where Laurel works, getting the camper ready for Laurel’s family party. “I honestly started working there because my dad is one of the Harbor Masters, but I also spent a ton of my childhood camping there… even though we actually live in Salem!” Winter Island, a well-known tourist spot by the Salem Willows and the coast, feels like her second home, she explains. She thumbed through her photo album on her phone, showing me about 20 breathtaking sunsets; her eyes gave away the nostalgia. “I couldn’t tell more people to spend more time camping with their family, I think it made us so much closer.”
Just when you thought you’ve met the friendliest person in the world already — you’ve never met Jeff Ambrifi. Goofing around with his friends at a table in Central Campus Dining hall, he was clearly the entertainer of the group. “I can’t help but love making people smile,” Jeff told me. Approaching the group was no problem — these students were extremely welcoming. Jeff is a senior student at Salem State University, studying to become a high school level English teacher. “I’ve always known that I wanted to teach, I had a great teacher in high school who inspired me to study and choose this career path,” he said, “I just want to be that fun teacher you can relate to, but also respect. I think it makes the students feel comfortable enough to enjoy the class and participate more.” Jeff’s personality definitely fits the bill, and one day he’ll be the teacher inspiring others to be like him.
