Amy Jang
State of Art Analysis on Eating Alone
for Freshmen in college, facing new college life.
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.
“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.
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”
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.
Current Tools.
✤ app: Confidence Spell
✤ app: Beat Social Phobia
✤ texting/emailing
✤ app: Talking Roby Celik the Robot
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.
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
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”.
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
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
Stay tuned!
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