Over the last six weeks I’ve caught up with three old friends I had not spoken with in years. Talking over the phone with them brought me great joy! Rob and Jared and Zach were some of the first friends I made while working at Lentz Dining Hall with Southern Illinois University Carbondale. I began to work at the campus dining hall in February 2009. Zach and Jared and Rob were all freshmen at SIUC. I was the front door greeter and I was in love with my job.

For the first few weeks on this job, during my lunch break, I would sit alone. I was not for certain that the students I was greeting would want me to sit with them and I was a little shy. After about three weeks I decided to ask permission to join a table of students who were always friendly to me…