Ribbed
St. Olaf food service has a problem that can’t be ignored any longer, and it pertains to something completely inedible.
That’s right: the infamous Caf Cup Conundrum.
This crisis took shape in the fall semester as dwindling cup numbers were supplemented by new additions. The glaring issue, however, was that these cups lacked the ribbed outside shared by all other cups, opting instead for a smooth exterior that shook the campus to its core.
There is no defending these new smooth cups. The first case against them is obvious: smooth equates to slippery. One fear that permeates the hearts of all Oles is dropping a plate or cup in the cafeteria. The thunderous clapping following the clatter of a dropped dish is an unfortunate tradition at St. Olaf, but it persists nonetheless. The new smoothed exteriors provide little purchase and increases the chance of an unfortunate slip, especially when they are still wet following a recent wash. These fears can be avoided completely with the superior grippy design of the original cups.
One might ask: “So what? Why not just pick the one you want and move on?”
Well therein lies the problem according to psychologist Barry Schwartz. His book “The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less” explains that an overabundance of options often leads to indecision and anxiety. Today, instead of simply grabbing a cup, students are forced to weigh the options of each and seek out the one they think will serve them better, often while a line of impatient students grows behind them.
The combination of these incompatible cup styles causes further headaches. Placing a ribbed cup inside a smooth one causes the two to stick together and separating them is a tough task when already holding a plate. Stav staff have been kind enough to sort the cups by type on occasion, but this extra labor should not be placed on those oft underappreciated workers.
I must now concede that the new smooth cups are slightly larger than the ribbed variety and I can imagine this is a major selling point for some. We must realize, however, that this gain in size is small potatoes. As anyone who has visited Carleton for dinner can attest, their cups are significantly larger and ribbed. Our rivals have shown there are better options and we as a college should not settle for minimal gains in size at the expense of grippiness.
The addition of the smooth cups was a clear misstep that must be remediated. St. Olaf needs to rid itself of this smooth curse to pursue a brighter, Carleton cup sized future.
Sean Rogers is from
Osceola, Wis.
His major is biology.
SMOOTH
The new caf cups are far superior to the old ones.
There, I said it. I won’t lie. I’m usually a bit of a traditionalist. I don’t like change, especially when it comes to something as sacred as caf dishware. But these new smooth cups have far exceeded my expectations, and the old ribbed cups pale in comparison.
It feels superficial to judge a cup by its color, but alas, I must. Even before the introduction of the new cups, anytime I arrived at a caf cup shelf I would pick the bluest cup possible. Drinking out of a blue cup makes the beverage feel crisp and refreshing. Drinking out of a dingey, faded gray cup sullies the entire drinking experience, making the beverage feel muddied, and frankly, kind of gross. Despite my skepticism toward new things, when the smooth cups arrived I couldn’t help but reach for their bright blue plastic, and I have yet to be disappointed.
With the new cups on the shelf, it’s impossible to ignore just how old and faded the ribbed cups are. The arrival of the smooth cups also revealed flaws in the ribbed cups that were easily overlooked before. The ribs stick out of the cup awkwardly, making the cup an eyesore and unnecessarily bulky. They take up too much precious space on our shelves and caf tables, whereas the new smooth cups are much more visually appealing and are easier to maneuver thanks to their light design.
I know it might be painful to acknowledge, but it’s time we all face the fact: the new caf cups are better than the old ones. The old ribbed vessels will always have a place in our hearts, but now it’s time to let a new, smoother cup take its place.
Harper Lagares is from
Bellingham, Wash.
Her majors are gender and sexuality studies and theater.
