Weekly QUEST Family Dinners encourage friendships outside of the classroom
Article by Meenu Singh (Q19)
Wednesday is one of the most daunting days of the week. Though not quite as agonizing as a dreary Monday may be, Wednesday is the day when homework piles up and stress levels run high. It’s those days when we wish for the comfort of people we love– what better way to relax then to chow down and spend QUALITY time with your QUEST family?
Enter: QUEST Family Dinner.
Every Wednesday at 6 pm, QUEST students from all cohorts are invited to meet in the South Campus Diner to eat dinner, meet other QUEST students, and enjoy each other’s company in a casual, relaxed atmosphere.
The idea for QUEST Family Dinner originated from running into other hungry Q19 friends at the South Campus Diner each week while grabbing dinner before BMGT/ENES190H class. The next question automatically came to mind: If we all have to eat, why not eat as a group?
The most important part about QUEST Family Dinner is the informal, flexible atmosphere; students can purchase food from the South Campus Diner, bring their own food, or not eat at all and just hang out. Students can multi-task while socializing if they please. Though the unofficial start time is 6 pm, students can drop in at whatever time they are available.
QUEST Family Dinner is a great opportunity for QUEST students to bond outside of class and make connections that do not exclusively revolve around class work and team meetings. “It was cool to meet new people and learn more about everyone there,” said Q19’s Josh Taylor, who recently attended his first Family Dinner.
To reiterate, though QUEST Family Dinner takes place before Q19’s BMGT/ENES190H course, it is open to all members of QUEST. “Though we all seem to wear the QUEST label, or magnetic nametag, really, QUEST students often identify first with their cohort when interacting with each other,” said Q18’s Manas Kulkarni. “Inter-cohort cohesion is just as important as intra-cohort cohesion, and I think the QUEST Family Dinner is a step in the right direction.”
Though recent turnouts have been modest, the hope is that ultimately, QUEST Family Dinners become an anticipated part of students’ weekly schedules and are widely attended by the entire QUEST community. We’re all one big happy QUEST family; let’s eat together like one, too. See you on Wednesday!