Ethnography post

After being so utterly done with the food at the DUC, I began my journey to the highly regarded Cox Hall to find any other food resource that wouldn’t be the classic grilled chicken, limited salads, and tempting cookies, cakes and ice cream. Most students speak of Cox Hall as the food haven at Emory. Due to the fact that they do not accept Meal Swipes, I had left it as one of my last food options. On Thursday, I decided to spend my Dooley dollars and make my much-anticipated visit to Cox for an early lunch.

As I enter through the transparent doors, I see various shapes and colors adorning the walls and ceiling. It immediately reminds me of a shopping mall food court.  I was surprised to find such a crowded space so early in the day. The atmosphere is considerably different and diverse from that of many of Emory’s dining options.  Here you encounter people like upperclassmen, professors, doctors, nurses, and medical students. The open structure and array of tables make the room look spacious even with its congested lines. After being hit with the wave of people, you are rapidly bombarded with a variety of options.

Something from every cuisine you can crave. Cox offers endless possibilities, from grilled burgers to fresh salads, creamy pasta,  flavorful Indian and Asian food, spicy tacos, and crepes. An aroma of diverse cultures and flavors surrounded me while I was trying to choose the station I wanted to eat. The smells reminded me of a home cooked meal made by any fancy or family restaurant. As I survey the stations, I opted for the sweet, spicy, and exotic smelling Indian Bhojanic. Anxiously waiting in line, I realized I only have twenty-five minutes before my next class. I decided to sacrifice my craving for Indian Bhojanic and go for the pre-packaged sushi. I passed the lengthy and slow line and struggled to find an empty seat. .

Thankfully I ran into one of my hall mates who was also having lunch, and I sat with her. I saw her plate of Asian fusion food bowl filled with spicy chicken, brown rice, scallions, and ginger infused soy sauce. I take a look at my pre-packed sushi with an unfulfilled look and take my first bite of my California roll. My friend urges me to try some of her bowl. The chicken was delicious, crunchy with a thick sweet sauce and fluffy brown rice. A big plus to this meal is that it comes in a to-go box, which makes it most convenient for any college student’s late night snack.

Overall Cox offers something different for any Emory first year student that looks for any change in their meal diets or if they are just simply tired of microwaving mac and cheese or eating at the DUC. It offers variety, good flavor, and new faces. As said by a current first-year student Carla Rodriguez: “ it is a nice alternative to the monotonous DUC food, plus the taste and quality are a hundred times better”. The only complain of most students is the price (approximately $8-12). Sara Laher said she would go to Cox Hall almost every day if they accepted meal swipes. Cox Hall proves to be one of the best culinary choices for Emory students, with its only downsides being price and crowdedness.