Students Give Dining Hall Staff a Standing Ovation

While you spent the day in pajamas scrolling through your newsfeed thinking about all the homework you should be doing, Harvard University Dining Services went about their business as usual, grilling your veggie burgers and dishing out quinoa. When all of Harvard shut down for the third time in its entire history, HUDS was one of the few staff services that did not get to stay home. For their hard work, students and staff decided to show their gratitude through a standing ovation.

The motion of thanks was a stroke of genius from Wigglesworth I-entryway proctor Jennifer Haugh. Her idea was circulated via Facebook, text messages, and House lists and a time and location was set for the standing ovation: Annenberg, 6:30 p.m.

"There are a lot of students, and it's hard to think of ways to appreciate everybody," Haugh said. "It struck me—why not something big like a standing ovation?"

The standing ovation was not limited to Annenberg; HUDS workers were thanked in upperclassmen dining halls like Kirkland, Eliot, Winthrop, and Adams, and other Houses decorated signs and made other gestures of gratitude.

When informed that her idea had spread like wildfire through electronic communication around campus, Haugh said, "It's pretty amazing when you think about it. All you need to do is come up with a good idea and two hours later everyone in campus is in on it. There are a lot of people in the dining services who use public transportation to get home, and I just hope they get home safely."

Students were similarly grateful for an opportunity to thank HUDS.

"I think it was really cool of everyone to appreciate the people who had to come because the weather was poor," said Fola A. Sofela '16.

The hurricane provided students with an opportunity not only to catch up on work and sleep, but to look around and thank the many people that keep Harvard up and running, even in the event of a natural disaster.