Preface: I am an Asian.
Back when I was in university, I realized clubs would often host events where free food is served (usually subs, basic sandwiches, cookies, water, coffee). I wasn't poor or in desperate, but it certainly helped with cutting costs.
Thus began my quest of searching for free food on campus: posters, web postings, word of mouth, I would take part in any department's event with free food as long as it had, well, free food.
One day, I came across some Jewish association's poster revealing where free food would be served to all attendees during that night. I, of course, attended. I remember it so vividly: they served salad, soup, soda, some sort of interesting tasting bread and meat, dessert. This wasn't the usual shitty Mr. Sub shitwich and water treatment I had grown accustomed to, this was fucking catering.
My mouth was already dripping with salivation as I greedily grabbed a stacked plate for myself and sat down on a chair to attend whatever the fuck was going to happen.
As more and more members trickled in the room, I probably experienced one of the most humiliating situations I've ever been stuck in.
Firstly, these weren't the run-of-the-mill undergrad Caucasians that were also casual part-time Jews, these were graduate students who were very obviously in some fucking specialized program. Secondly, for the entire 2 hours I was there, I was the only very-out-of-place Asian in jeans and a retarded graphic Tee. Thirdly, this was no casual mingle event, this was some sort of serious sit-down.
The entire fucking time I was there I had no fucking idea what to do. My brain was obviously telling me to drop my food, apologize, and flee but for some reason I just sat there and ate my food. The event began with a circle-group-discussion. I mean I'm 100% sure EVERYONE in the room saw me, but thank the stars no one addressed me or acknowledged me during the discussion. I ate very slowly in hopes that they would realize my mouth was full and I would not be able to participate in whatever the fuck they were discussing. I couldn't even enjoy my luxury catering.
As the discussion winded down and came to an end I zipped to the door. However before I could flee, the host turned off the lights and turned on the projector, and for some reason I felt obligated to stay and walked back to my seat. Oh my fuck. There was a movie. I couldn't find any opportunity to run, so I sat through 1.5 hours of a documentary (?) on Jewish history with a large emphasis on the Holocaust. Halfway through, I realized I was so focused on eating (it was the only way to remove me mentally of the situation), I was the only person still eating during the movie presentation.
After the movie ended, I shamefully tried to leave as fast as I could. Some of the individuals awkwardly avoided me while others patted my back and gave me a good bye as everyone assembled out the door. I walked alongside my Jewish peers out the building, unable to hide my shame.
TL;DR: Don't fuck with Jewish catering, no matter how poor of a college student you are.