Kayla Bertholf
S&E Editor
Corn is in everything. It is the backbone of America and seemingly the backbone of my diet at Lowry. Corn-derived ingredients are not only in gasoline, the basis of some alcohols, in chewing gum and popcorn, but are also used as a staple of the vegetarian station. I live for the days when I wake up and Google “College of Wooster dining menu” and find mention of corn nuggets under the Lowry tab. These battered and fried portions of corn have a way of eliciting joy in my life that not many other Lowry foods can match. The sweet yet savory goodness of corn nuggets warms my soul from the first bite.
Perhaps I am biased as a native Ohioan, growing up surrounded by corn fields and going as far as writing an essay about the prevalence of corn in America in high school English class, but there seems to be a divide between those who love corn nuggets and those who despise them. Perhaps others prefer cornbread or are made uneasy by the battered corn goodness pretending to be a nugget. Everyone seems to have a side—no one is neutral on whether corn nuggets are the best or worst food at Low. I have gotten into many debates over the deliciousness corn nuggets bring to the table and will hold strong to my values.
Why does my opinion on corn nuggets matter? As human beings, we can always find something to dislike about what we are given, be it something as inconsequential as corn nuggets or something as consequential as corn’s position in society. We hold strong to our opinions and resist change, myself included. It is something we all can work on. We can have differing opinions over something as mundane as corn nuggets and remain civil. We cannot do this for larger societal issues that affect the lives of our friends and family. Further, we think our negative words about corn nuggets or the daily chicken dish do not affect anyone, until the underpaid workers that spent the last few hours making them overhear. We have the right to complain about things that do not sit right with us as this is what leads to change. However, we should keep in mind the intended audience and whether or not it is something they can fix. The main sentiment that I like to think of on corn nugget day is to be grateful for what you have, make the best of what you are given, and appreciate those who work hard so that you do not have to make your own corn nuggets (trust me on this, homemade corn nuggets are not the move).
