Nobody prepares you for how lonely lunch breaks can feel in college

One of the hardest parts about starting college for me wasn’t studies. It was lunch breaks. That awkward period where everyone suddenly disappears into their friend groups while you stand there pretending to check your phone so you don’t look alone. I still remember walking around campus during my first semester trying to look “busy” because I didn’t know where to sit. Some people were laughing loudly in groups. Some were making plans after class. Some already looked like they had known each other for years. And then there was me. Holding a food tray and mentally calculating which empty corner looked least embarrassing. I know this sounds small compared to “real problems.” But honestly, repeated loneliness changes you mentally. You start becoming hyper-aware of yourself. You notice every glance. Every whisper. Every moment you feel out of place. Eventually I did make friends. But even now, whenever I see someone sitting alone in cafeterias, I instantly feel emotional because I know exactly how invisible and exposed that feeling can be at the same time.