Are you tired of eating the same old cafeteria food? Have you ever gotten hungry while cramming for a test at midnight but had nowhere to go? Are you sick of eating 25 cent ramen because you do not have the money to go out and buy groceries? Well, look no further than the new C-Store that will be opening soon, located on the first floor of Christy Suites!
According to Julie Elliott, Vice President of Student Life, there are many things to look forward to as we anticipate the C-Store’s opening.
“Students will be able to access [the C-Store] 24/7 with their ID cards,” Elliott said. “They will make their selections and pay for the items themselves as they would at an airport kiosk. There are cameras monitoring purchases to prevent theft.”
As for what this store will carry, Denice Hager, Dining Hall Director of Operations, is still in the process of making those decisions but many speculate that it will contain bottles of pop, sports drinks, water, chips, candy, medicine, batteries and mostly essentials that will serve a great purpose to students.
Though not much is known about the C-Store in its entirety, some students already have some opinions about the new addition to campus. Freshman Alexia Hanson shares both excitement and concern for the new store, as she anticipates how it will impact residents of Christy Suites. “I’m excited to have a spot on campus where we can get things like medicine quickly in emergencies,” Hanson said. “I think it’s a cool idea that makes Christy unique. I’m a little worried about the location of it being right in the doorway, because it might cause some traffic with people coming in and out of the dorm.”
Similarly, Ruthie Mattsen, a fellow freshman Christy resident, shares her thoughts on the new store and how it will impact her day-to-day life. “I’m excited that it won’t take me a whole 10+ minute trip to get one snack to bring to my dorm,” Mattsen said. “However, I do not think I am going to like running into my fellow classmates when I’m trying to discreetly grab food.”
Though it is fair to say that there are a wide range of thoughts about the C-Store, it appears that most Northwestern students are looking forward to having a lowkey, convenient and cheap place to grab a quick snack amidst their practices, classes and study sessions.
As students return from fall break and anticipate the grand opening of this store, it will be important to think about how this new space can be used as a way to foster community. Go grab a bag of Doritos with your friend group, a bar of chocolate with your roommate, a Gatorade with your teammate, you get the idea.
