Instagram Your Lunch

                This is what I had for dinner as of January 7, 2014. It is a grilled cheese sandwich, chicken noodle soup, and water. My dinner reflects my identity as a student (obviously there will be no caviar here). The meal also illustrates my temporary identity as a flu victim (I have had the flu since Friday). It has also been very cold the last few days, so the meal reflects that as well. Relating to Salazar’s study, visualization was not a huge part of this meal (like the children in the study); it was more about function. The children complained of the eco-friendly boxes that were used as trays because their food would mix. My soup reflects a similar aspect, I am a college student (currently taking 22 hours) so I don’t have time to deal with a bowl. The drinkable soup works best for my routine and that is shaped by the crazy amount of material and homework my professors have me study. Plus, according to our culture it is common to have soup with a meal when ill. In the Allison reading, the obentos are a product of doting mothers that are trying to show that they care for their children and are willing to spend ours of meticulous planning and cooking to do what is expected of them by the daycare workers too. My meal is sort of the opposite. It displays how humble and small in quantity it is, so that I can have more time to dedicate to my studies. This in turn will hopefully impress my professors and result in good grades on my work. Like the mothers want to be received as caring and proper for their work.You can’t see it in the photo, but I am drinking water. If I had my way I would have something caffeinated, but I have an 8 o’clock class the next day so that limits my drink choices. If I drink something caffeinated or sugary I will not sleep well for my class in the early morning. The cold shapes my choice for the grilled cheese sandwich. I was just in the mood for something hot and gooey for my scratchy throat. Culture indicates that I should have something to drink with my meal so that is why it presented with the meal. I did not use silverware with this meal as culture dictates (I’m a rebel sometimes). The meal is not large in quantity either. This is because I didn’t really have a lot of time to eat, because of all the homework I had to accomplish. So at the end of the day GRU shapes my meals and most plans I make when the semester is in session. I am a student slave to GRU.