One of the things I miss the most about 

Spacecity

is the cafeteria. When I was up there I didn't talk so much but I never ate alone. The schedule they had us on forced us to cram into the 

cafeteria

together in one of the two sessions for lunch and dinner. The way they organized it, there were never any open seats except for a few between cycles when people had left and new people had not yet joined.

This meant that nobody ever had to sit at the table alone playing with their food, pretending to not notice people watching them.

I sat with many different groups of people up there. Even when I wouldn't talk to them I didn't feel sad about just sitting next to them eating. Sometimes I would be seated in a table where nobody was talking at all, but since they didn't give us any phones or devices to use up there it still felt like we were eating together.

After returning to earth I have rarely experienced eating together save for a few reunions. Eating alone had become my routine once back on dirt. Even when I go to a restaurant it feels like I am eating solo since they make sure people get their own tables. The closest thing to the cafeteria I get is a small diner with some bar seating. That's probably the main reason I like the diner. It's not about the food.