Many college students today have a strange power—we can get just about anything without ever stepping outside. We are connected more than ever, yet paradoxically, increasingly isolated. Food delivery apps exemplify how convenience can quietly erode our sense of community. Ordering online limits contact with people, sheltering us from each other.
As a community, we miss out on so much when we choose to isolate instead of engaging with humanity. The small ritual of dining out and interacting with the waiter, savoring the meal, and treating yourself carries social weight. As one Union student reflected and spoke about how “Our culture prioritizes convenience to the point where we have lost how important it is to be around others.” We must maintain a reverence for strangers and an appreciation for our local communities. The student continues, “Contactless delivery has weakened our ability to exist in equilibrium with others, leading us to feel inconvenienced by one another.”
This is not to say that food delivery apps have no place in a happy lifestyle. Food is a way we can understand each other better, a way to build community. Convenience is not always bad, especially for busy college students. “At the end of a long day, especially after practice, it’s nice to sit inside and enjoy a meal together. Not that going out is necessarily harder, but it is good to save dining in for a special occasion.” Food options on campus may not meet dietary requirements, too. Another student explained, “I order food when I’m stressed or when it’s late and I don’t feel like going to the dining hall.” They added, “I also like to treat myself during finals week!”
Navigating college life means allowing space for ease and recognizing when that ease becomes isolation. We must not let convenience overtake connection.
