An Ode to Annenberg

As the curtains close on the spring semester of my first year, I cannot help but walk down memory lane. From sticky note messages on windows to laundry room fires, there were many beautiful occurrences that have forever imprinted themselves in my mind. The most memorable of them all, however, is Annenberg Hall itself. As both a love letter and expose, let’s review the top Berg happenings of the year:

Faculty Dinners

Welcome to WatchMojo. Today, we’re counting down the top 10 betrayals of all time. Up first: Faculty Dinners. This was when we realized what HUDS was truly capable of. Ice sculptures? Edible food? A CREPE STATION? Where was all this normally???

Yet again, Berg showed us that it CAN pull out all the stops for the people who actually matter. Forget the freshmen and their happiness, how can we impress their professors? Alas, I was happily devouring creme brulee one evening, and swallowing chewy roast beef the next.

Brain breaks

No jokes here, brain break is just SO cute. All the sleep-deprived freshmen gather together to laugh, sing, and eat cinnamon toasters (God forbid they buy on-brand cereal with their ever-growing endowment). Rushing from Cabot to break through those doors before 11 p.m. was arguably more of a thrill than jumping fences at river run. Despite the limited options, brain break was integral to the freshman experience. This was the prime time to awkwardly run into people you swore to get a meal with. This was the place to gather Ec 10 pset answers. This was the place where you met all your best friends. So, cherish the last time you call bowls of goldfish a meal or admire Berg’s (finished?) ceiling. Nothing will ever be quite as wholesome and pure as Annenberg brain breaks.

Sunday sundaes

If you were daring enough to stand in that obscenely long line or contaminate your hands with that sticky scooper, you were able to enjoy Berg’s prized Sunday sundaes. Despite the perfectly warm caramel sauce and immaculate range of toppings, this tradition still has its caveats. Did the annoying kid from section take the last of the M&Ms? Yes. Did they run out of ice cream before I even got a second scoop? Yes. Did I find that murky water that’s “supposed to clean the scooper” relatively suspicious? Again, yes. I don’t care though, my eternal love for Sunday sundaes survives these minor setbacks.

The HUDS revamp

This was a thing… until it wasn’t. Before the revamp, HUDS would slap soy sauce on everything and call it Korean. Now, they have a slightly less offensive approach to Asian food — they add sesame seeds! Jokes aside, I was greatly appreciative of this development. I found myself ENJOYING the dining hall food??? I truly did not know that could ever be a possibility. Yes, the hype has died down and so has the quality. However, the effort is what counts and I am forever appreciative.

Berg <3,

Despite your red-hued chicken and watered down coffee, you have both nourished and sustained me this past year. Not only have you introduced me to some of the most extraordinary people, you have taught me invaluable lessons. You taught me that not even the best school in the world could beat my mom’s cooking. You taught me that I could survive for weeks on french fries and chocolate milk. Most importantly, you taught me that all good things have to come to an end. I will love and miss you endlessly!