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!