Written By Amanda Davis, Feature Editor
Dayton, TN – If you have been anywhere on Bryan Campus recently, you have probably heard something about a sandwich in the shower. The idea is simple; a sandwich is an enjoyable experience, a shower after a long day is an enjoyable experience, so why not combine both? The idea has been supported as well as vilified, and the movement can be boiled down to its key members.
Sophomore David Quillman is the face of support for shower sandwich eating, and he first heard of the idea of eating in the shower in general from a podcast. He was interested in the idea but did not test it until the Fall semester of 2022. Quillman ate an uncrustable in the shower, and he claims that his life was changed for the better because of it.
“It’s a self-care therapeutic experience that can’t really be fully experienced until you actually try it yourself,” Quillman said.
Quillman took his beliefs to new heights when a friend decided to make a bet with him. If he could convince 100 people to try eating an Uncrustable in the shower by Feb. 14, then that friend would have to do so as well. Quillman did not win his bet, but he was able to convince 68 people from Bryan campus and even beyond to try his idea. “I don’t feel like I have lost much, a lot of good work has been done,” Quillman said.
Quillman has only very few rules when it comes to trying a sandwich in the shower; don’t get it wet, and only eat it in the shower after a long day. Quillman required the participant to confirm that they had tried his idea, so he started the Instagram account bryan_shower_food to help spread the word. The account currently has 89 followers, and Quillman plans to continue to tell people about his idea. He hopes to eventually convince 100 people to try shower sandwiches.
An anonymous student started the Instagram account bryan_anti_shower_food to combat Quillman’s ideology. This account currently has 73 followers. The student reached out to several students, asking them to collect signatures against eating sandwiches in the shower, and sophomore Petra Thompson jumped at the opportunity. Thompson has collected 42 signatures against Sandwich showers, and she plans to continue asking students after Feb. 14. Thompson also convinced a friend to collect signatures at Tennessee Tech, and that friend collected 17 signatures.
“I would say at least 90-95% of the people I talk to either sign the petition or remain neutral,” Thompson said.
Thompson claimed that she wasn’t surprised that Quillman did not win his bet. “He was too confident that there would be enough people to support him, and it backfired,” Thompson said.
The shower sandwich debate has caught the attention of multiple faculty members, each with their own differing opinions. Professor Michael Palmer said that he does not have a strong opinion on the subject and believes that it is a matter of time and place. President Dr. Doug Mann showed great interest in the topic, claiming that “this issue will have at least 10-15 seconds of my time in the coming days.”
Senior Marcus Heil has been a very vocal supporter of bryan_anti_shower_food and believes that both sides can occasionally be at fault. “We strive to be a society where we value individuality and freedom. However, there is also something to be said for common sense. I don’t think anyone should be barred from eating a sandwich if they don’t want to in the shower, I don’t think we should make it outlawed,” Heil said.
Quillman uses the analogy of a pen when responding to those who are opposed to his ideology. He claims that pens are used for many different purposes, whereas sandwiches only have one purpose, which is being eaten. “A sandwich’s sole purpose is to be consumed, and the more enjoyment that that sandwich can give you, means that the sandwich is doing its job better,” Quillman said.
Amanda Davis is a sophomore communications major and creative writing minor at Bryan College. She is a Kansas City native and loves reading, writing and photography.
