The college bucket list. The highly regarded and elusive task-list many students strive to complete before their years of college disappear. The NU bucket list usually consists of the normal paint the rock, primal scream, see a show in Chicago, swim in Lake Michigan, and maybe even run the Chicago Marathon combination, but this quarter I had the chance to complete an item I didn’t even realize was on my bucket list: Exam Relief Late Night Breakfast. Exam Relief and Stress Relief programs are plentiful during finals season. From free massages to puppies, Northwestern delivers. Northwestern student groups also provide services like free hugs and hot chocolate and even bringing food to the library to raise money for philanthropic causes.

A few years ago, Northwestern started something new: late night breakfast. From 11pm-12am on the Monday of finals week, Norris University Center (our student union) offered free breakfast food for all students and staff. Unfortunately, I underestimated the rampant love of bacon and pancakes that exists on our campus.  I showed up to the first late night breakfast, and I saw the line that curved up two flights of stairs packed with hungry students in much more need of a pancake than I was. I walked away from that line two long years ago, and hadn’t even thought of returning until this past Monday night, the eve of my last final. It was 10:30pm, my eyes were tired, and the carrots I had brought to the library proved too weak of a snack. I gathered my things, prepared myself for the crowd, and walked over to Norris. A lot had changed since my first breakfast experience, there were now two complete breakfast stations staffed with students, teachers, and administrators all dressed in purple baseball caps that read, “Stress Relief.” The line moved seamlessly as a complete meal was placed on every person’s plate. Eventually it was my turn, and as I could have not one, but two pancakes, I felt as if my Northwestern bucket list had become a little more complete.

–Taylor Billings

photo: Norris Facebook.

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