Since social connectedness is critical to student retention, colleges and universities have vested interest in identifying and providing assistance as early as possible. When students are struggling to fit in, a great deal of campus energy is invested in welcoming each new cohort of students and planning events to facilitate a sense of belonging. Resident advisors take time to meet each member of their floor, hold meetings, and coordinate trips to the dining hall. Yet, while some students quickly find their way, others struggle with the transition. Staff make every effort to identify and intervene with these students, but sometimes they fall through the cracks. Colleges and universities are increasingly turning to "early alert systems" that use surveys and institutional data to identify students who might be struggling to adjust to college. This article describes a new measure called the meal-index (m-index). This application uses dining hall swipe data to estimate social connectedness, which plays a critical role in adjustment. The m-index is strongly and positively associated with retention and graduation outcomes; this relationship occurs even when using data from just the first week of the first semester. The link between students' dining patterns and graduation outcomes is consistent for many different student groups, with some variation by race and international status. These results suggest implications for using data that are commonly gathered but often under explored as a predictor of student outcomes. The use of swipe card data shows substantial promise as an early indicator of student integration and connection. When brought into conversation with a more holistic understanding of students' experiences, the m-index has the potential to inform practical early intervention so that students can receive timely support and persist in their journey toward graduation.