It’s like the walking dead. Except with more yoga pants. And the walkers moan Einstein’s instead of brains. Every Tuesday and Thursday morning I wake up early for my Beginning Tap class. Earlier this week, I gave myself more time before class to walk around campus to try to see if the early bird really does get the worm. I thought students who walked the halls of UT at these times were the ambitious ones, ready to face to morning and the day of classes ahead. However, I found that most were just unlucky. Sabrina Milroy wakes up early every morning for her Business Law class at 8 am on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
She has to take the class for her major, and it was the only time offered this semester that fit the rest of her schedule.
“Some days are better than others,” she said “I can usually come right back after and take a nap and coffee always helps.”
Swiping into the cafeteria, I take a look around at the seating options. It’s an easy decision to make, nearly the entire cafeteria is empty save a few students munching slowly on their cereal or eggs staring into space or reading something. Nobody is worried about what others will think of them sitting alone, it’s too early to worry about things like that, plus everyone is eating alone.
I sit alone and eat some fruit. There is a serene atmosphere in the calm cafeteria that you don’t see any other time of the day along with no lines to wait in. I tell myself that I will try to wake up this early again to recreate this moment, but I know that it will probably never happen.
“Everyone awake for classes at this time kind of have an understanding,” Milroy says “No judging and no conversation.”
As I make the short walk from Brevard to the Edison building, I often see the faces of others making the, often chilly, trek to these torturous classes. Emotionless faces dreaming of pillows are everywhere and at this moment I feel the same way.