You hurry, hoping to beat the 12:15 lunch rush. Turning the corner in the Caf, you see it and your heart drops. The chicken nugget line is long, as usual, and you fall into the line dejectedly, with what seems like every other student on campus.
The Caf serves chicken nuggets for lunch on Tuesdays, and they are, by far, the most popular item on the menu.
Groups of students have come up with creative ways to beat the rush.
One group of sophomores, Megan Chase, Kristen Drake and Brittany Portee, explained their love of nuggets.
Chicken nuggets are one of those comfort foods that everyone really likes and no one is going to object to, Portee said.
"Chicken nuggets are familiar to everyone, whereas some of the other entrees aren't as appetizing or satisfying," she said.
For picky eaters like Chase, chicken nuggets are a special delight.
"I think they should have them every day, right by the French fries because they are perfect for every college student," she said.
They both admitted to standing in the chicken nugget line for at least five minutes while waiting for their favorite meal.
The chicken nugget line is also a social event.
Although Drake hasn't made any lifelong friends, she has the occasional conversation with her fellow students. "I haven't made a friend in line," Drake says, "but I have talked to people I don't know. We bond over it because we all love the chicken nuggets."
The three also have some gripes about the chicken nuggets themselves.
The chicken nuggets are served in two separate bins, and sometimes they aren't the same, the women said.
However, despite the trifles of the chicken line or type of nugget, the group said that they enjoy getting to the Caf and having chicken nuggets, even if it is only once a week.
Elena Vitullo can be reached at elena.vitullo@student.shu.edu.
