Fine Dining

This past weekend, my friend invited me and a few other friends over for dinner. I was taught never to show up to someone else's home empty-handed, so I brought along a yummy strawberry chocolate cake. During the 15-minute drive, I couldn't help but think of my mom, who always attends or hosts a dinner party with a dessert in hand, just like I was doing at that moment. The whole experience felt unusual for me. It wasn't until I got out of the car that I realized intimate dinners like this, where the primary purpose is to sit and talk genuinely with one another, are not very common. Sharing a meal with someone else is often a matter of convenience and is usually not the main focus of the night. Although I could write an entire essay about the lovely platter and apartment my friend welcomed me into, I couldn't shake off the feeling I had walking out that door. I now acknowledge that I was reminded of my mom because, in that instance, there was a subtle transition to becoming an adult. In college, people usually meet others in a fast and offhanded way. Friendships are formed in the library, at parties, clubs, or the dining hall, but moments of intimacy are often not part of the equation yet. Many people stress about making the most connections in college because it is an excellent opportunity, but they sometimes lose sight of fostering the ones that matter most. Each friend serves a different purpose and acts as a support system for separate occasions. Regardless of the number of people you see every day around the various parts of campus, there are only so many of those relationships you can properly keep up with after graduation. After a certain point in life, evening dinners become the new normal and one of the primary opportunities to catch up with one another. It is a space where nothing else really matters but you and your presence. Instead of the heightened stress of making another obligation in time, you grow to appreciate the simplest things in life. I have always been drawn to that. Receiving an invitation to someone's home to eat their cooking, which they probably spent hours creating, sends an inexplicably thoughtful message. It shows not only how valuable you are to them but also that they see that friendship is worth the time and effort put into having you over. Well... I can't wait to see who earns a spot at my own dining table a couple of years from now. Future tip: I love macarons for dessert (just kidding!).

- With Love, Fiza Usman