As winter break comes to an end, 2017 begins and spring semester nears, one of your New Year’s resolutions may be to get more involved on campus. Maybe you want to discover a new passion or hobby in order to distract yourself from binge-watching Netflix in your free time, or just to meet more people. Good news! There’s a club at Wash U that may just be perfect for you: Spoon University, our school’s chapter of a nationwide food publication and community with chapters on 250+ college campuses.
If you’re not already convinced to join Spoon Wash U after hearing about our campus events and reading our articles, not to worry. I’ve put together a list of 8 important reasons why you should join the tastiest club on campus this semester.
1. Rediscover your love for food
So you may think you really like food already—and that’s a good reason to join Spoon, in and of itself. But Spoon will take that interest to a whole other level. After joining Spoon, you’ll realize that there is so much more to food than just eating. From the restaurant dining experience to food’s impact on the media and how food shapes cultural traditions, Spoon will allow you to broaden your food-interest horizons.
2. Share your food passions
Are you convinced that you just ate the best Pad Thai in the world? Did you just invent the easiest and tastiest chocolate chip cookie recipe? Did you have a fantastic dinner at the restaurant you went to last night? Write about it or snap a few photos. Spoon gives you a platform to share all of your food-related experiences, thoughts and ideas with students around the country and beyond.
3. Help people avoid the Freshman 15
The struggle is real when it comes to maintaining healthy habits in college. Weight gain or not, the Freshman 15 may be a concern for you or your friends. Between the late-night drunchies and trying to eat your money’s worth at BD brunch, it’s easy to let your health slip in college. Spoon can inspire you to think up healthy eating strategies and lets you share those solutions with friends.
4. Share and discover your favorite on-campus food hacks
BD and the DUC are great and everything, but trust me when I say you’re not alone in feeling like the Wash U food selection gets a little boring after a while. Spoon offers you the opportunity to brainstorm new ways to spice up on-campus food offerings, from the Paws & Go salad bar to BD stir fry.
5. Have an excuse to take pictures of your food
Do you feel embarrassed to take pictures of that gorgeous avocado toast? Do you feel paranoid that people are secretly judging you when you snap a photo of a heavenly slice of truffle pizza? Not to worry: Spoon is always a valid excuse for food photography. We love food pictures so much that we even have our own food Instagram and hashtag (#spoonfeed)—and your photos could be featured.
6. Help brainstorm, plan and execute awesome events
Spoon is so much more than a website or an Instagram account. We create interactive events on campus to bring Wash U students, faculty and staff together over food. While our cultures, backgrounds or political views may bring us apart, food is a common denominator. It’s something everyone can get behind—and Spoon is always here to celebrate that.
7. Find a creative outlet
It’s easy to feel like a robot churning out academic papers or multi-part problem sets for your classes. Spoon is an opportunity to salvage or discover a passion for writing, photography, videography or marketing. It offers you a chance to express yourself creatively and hone personal style.
8. Find a community
Last, but definitely not least (and perhaps the most important reason) is the people. Whether it’s by using Spoon as an excuse to test out a new restaurant with fellow Spoon members or by building Gingerbread houses at a Spoon holiday get-together, Spoon is an opportunity to meet and bond with amazing people over a mutual love of food.
Ready to join? Click here to apply. Applications for spring semester are due by midnight on January 25. Missed the deadline? No worries—Spoon recruits new members every semester. We can’t wait to work with you!