Facing a problem? Annie has answers. Ask away!
Dear Annie,
I don’t really use my GWorld that often to buy food. I usually just eat snacks or microwave frozen meals. Last year, one of my friends noticed that I don’t really use my GWorld for food and would ask me to buy meals and snacks for her sometimes since I wasn’t really using my GWorld anyway. I was the one who said it was okay at first, but now it’s starting to bother me how much she asks to use my GWorld. I’m not sure if I should say something or if I should just keep letting her use it since I don’t really use my GWorld anyways.
If anyone cares,
What’s the big meal?
Dear What’s the big meal,
Sharing is caring. It’s a cheesy lesson but essential for getting along with others, especially in college. We’ve all side-eyed the roommate who won’t let us borrow a shirt because they “might” wear it the next day or called the person who sends a Venmo request for drinks at their house party stingy.
What’s the big deal about using the money from your meal plan to help a friend? Unless your friend devours the funds you need for your own sustenance, you might as well share the love with her. Besides, you can’t get the money from the plan back after you graduate. If generosity toward a friend isn’t motive enough for you, don’t give GW the satisfaction of profiting from your leftover dining dollars.
That being said, generosity comes with the unwritten condition that your friend isn’t taking advantage of you and your funds. Does she ask you to buy her extravagant food she wouldn’t buy herself, swiping your GWorld for an $8 oat-milk latte at For Five Coffee Roasters or treating herself to a $90 sushi platter at Onkei? Spotting your friend on a bacon, egg and cheese at GW Deli once a week or so won’t drain your meal plan, especially if you’re not actively using it, as it’s priced with a college student’s budget in mind.
Consider whether your friend returns the favor. She doesn’t have to buy food, but she should do something of a similar caliber, like cover your share of an Uber or offer to buy you a coffee in a place that doesn’t accept GWorld. If she isn’t keen on a monetary contribution to your relationship, ensure she’s acting as an attentive, inclusive friend. Does she only reach out to you when she’s hungry? Does she check in on you and include you in other activities?
If you feel like she’s taking your kindness for granted, express your concerns. Share you want to help her, but you feel you both need to rework your system. You have no problem covering her dinner once or twice a week but don’t want to every night. If you feel like she’s treating you like a hidden sugar mama who she only hangs out with for on-campus dinners, tell her you’ve been feeling neglected lately. You could plan an activity together, like a jaunt around the Smithsonian or a movie night. She may have gotten so comfortable with your system that she didn’t realize how often she asked to use your GWorld or how you felt about your friendship.
And make sure you’re taking care of yourself. Even if frozen meals and snacks are your preference, a full, fresh meal — or, at least, as fresh of a meal as you can get at Thurston’s dining hall or the fast-casual options on campus — is essential for your health. Food is fuel. Relying on frozen lasagna from Marie Callenders and Snyder’s pretzels is unsustainable. As you’re on GW’s dining plan, you have the means to pay for a complete, healthy meal. Buying yourself a meal rather than playing microwave chef every day, or talking with a professional if that feels daunting, will help maintain your generous energy. Plus, you’re paying for these GWorld funds — it’s a waste to not take advantage of them and load up on Safeway groceries to cook with.
You deserve a friend who loves you for more than your GWorld balance. But you can’t take your dining dollars with you when you graduate. If you have resources left over after feeding yourself, lending a good friend a helping hand won’t hurt you.
Generous with advice,
Annie
