This document summarizes challenges freshmen face when eating alone in college cafeterias or restaurants, such as feeling like a social loner. It discusses current solutions like eating at busy spots or using phones/books to distract oneself, but notes these don't fully address the stress. Tools mentioned that aim to boost confidence include meditation apps and befriending a robot companion, but they also don't fully solve the core problem. The document concludes by acknowledging there may not be a perfect solution yet and more research is needed on calming social anxieties and appropriate technology.

1. State of Art Analysis on Eating Alone
for Freshmen in college, facing new college life.
Amy Jang

2. Problem.
✤ As a freshman, you are in the process of meeting, making friends.
✤ there are times when you have to eat alone.
✤ @ cafeteria or restaurants, many other people have accompanies
✤ Eating alone, seats next to you are empty.
✤ >>>> Stress from looking like a social loner.

3. “Socially, eating alone is not a sign of our
strength, but of a lack of social standing.”
✤ Eating alone in a open-sitting area.
✤ freedom to choose your space
✤ ok to distract yourself with something else
✤ Eating alone in a sit-down restaurant.
✤ waiter serves you
✤ takes long to wait for food, eat, pay, and leave.

4. Current Solutions.
✤ choose lively dining spot where you can eat quick
✤ seat at the bar, or take out to eat at home
✤ bring something to distract yourself (phone, books, etc)
✤ eat early or late
✤ mind control: “I’m enjoying my meal”

5. Status Quo
✤ current solutions don’t solve the actual stress.
✤ “we use book and work as armor”, which protects you from actually
facing the stress.

6. Current Tools.
✤ app: Confidence Spell
✤ app: Beat Social Phobia
✤ texting/emailing
✤ app: Talking Roby Celik the Robot

7. Confidence Spell
✤ during “magic spell”, reflect on yourself,
control your emotions, confidence.
✤ boosts self-confidence, belief in yourself,
your abilities
✤ a type of meditation technique for calming.
✤ need separate space, time
✤ really need to believe in the spell and fully aware of your emotions
and self for maximum effect.

8. Beat Social Phobia
✤ By Andrew Johnson: Clinical Hypotherapist
✤ Sections: Intro, Relaxation, Social Phobia, Awake
✤ gives positive affirmations about confidence, the ability to
put things in perspective, and care less what others think
✤ great reviews-- testimonials of its impact on their life.
✤ need separate space, time to listen to it
✤ not intended for use IN THE SITUATION

9. Texting/Emailing
✤ communicate with other people remotely.
✤ doesn’t feel “alone” as you can distract yourself.
✤ again, this is not solving the nature of the problem: stress of looking
like a social loner. You may seem “busy”, but still feel like a “loner”.

10. Talking Roby Celik the Robot
✤ a robot you can befriend with.
✤ make him talk, sing, dance, play with you
✤ let the robot be your “accompany”
✤ feels like you are dining with someone
✤ doesn’t address the problem of stress from social judgment.
✤ it helps you avoid it

11. Is there a solution?
✤ We don’t know yet.
✤ to be solved:
✤ help during dining situation?
✤ approachable calming tech?
✤ mobile? non-mobile?
✤ future research on:
✤ calming practices on overcoming social judgement
✤ other types of technology than mobile

12. Stay tuned!