So Een Maal was on the right track after all.
Japan’s Kyoto University and Kobe University recently installed bocchi seki aka “lonely seats” at their dining halls while refurbishing it. The seats are called as such because they let the people seated finish their meals minus the chitchat that normally comes with dining with others.
The dining tables feature 50-centimeter dividers at the center of the tables so you won’t have to interact or speak with the person who’s sitting across you. That saves you time, lets you focus on finishing your meal, and lets you avoid having to socialize or make small-talk with people you might not be very comfortable with.
Apparently, it’s something a lot of students appreciate. A 22 year-old female student told Asahi: “When I don’t have much time or I’m in a hurry, the lonely seats are convenient.”
Another student, a 22-year old male this time, said: “If you are sitting at a big table by yourself it’s like you don’t have any friends and that is embarrassing.”
What do you think?
