hawkplay ‘I Was So Absorbed in My Notes That I Had Forgotten to Have Lunch’

ImageNo Food Allowed

Dear Diary:hawkplay

It was 3 p.m. on a snowy Saturday in December, and I was in Butler Library at Columbia University studying for my final exams. I realized that I was so absorbed in my notes that I had forgotten to have lunch.

Despite being in a place where I knew eating was prohibited, I pulled a protein bar out of my backpack. The crinkle of the wrapper prompted the student sitting across from me to stop typing and tilt his head to study me.

“No Food Allowed,” a sign on the table said.

He looked at me, then at the sign and back at me. Then he smiled, pulled an apple out of his bag and took a big bite.

— Katherine Wang

ImageKeep On Moving

Dear Diary:

I was doing my morning tai chi warm-ups outside my home in Carroll Gardens when I noticed a flatbed truck loaded with building supplies parked nearby.

Submit Your Metropolitan Diary

Your story must be connected to New York City and no longer than 300 words. An editor will contact you if your submission is being considered for publication.

We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber? Log in.

Want all of The Times? Subscribe.hawkplay

• in
• hawkplay
• So
• was
• Absorbed