Keeping a stash of candy in your pencil case.
KEEPING A STASH OF CANDY IN YOUR PENCIL CASE.
Follow for more insights into the true Ivy experience.
Remember those endless nights in the library, surrounded by textbooks and fluorescent lights? The air thick with ambition and desperation? Whether highlighting a thesis chapter with six different colors or discreetly wiping away a tear after a particularly brutal problem set, one universal truth united us: survival. And often, that survival came in surprisingly small, sugary packages.
It wasn't just about color-coded notes or the perfect study playlist. It was about the tiny, unsung heroes of our academic journey – the emergency provisions. Tucked away in a pencil case, disguised amongst pens and highlighters, was that secret stash of candy. A lifeline. A single chocolate square could be the difference between pushing through another dense paragraph and succumbing to the overwhelming urge to just… nap on the desk.
These weren't gourmet treats; they were pure, unadulterated fuel. A quick burst of sugar to jumpstart a flagging brain at 3 AM. A small, illicit comfort in a world demanding relentless excellence. It was a shared secret, a quiet acknowledgment among us that despite the polished exteriors and impressive resumes, we were all, at some point, clinging to a sour gummy or a hard candy as our last beacon of hope.
This wasn't just about hunger; it was about keeping a tiny piece of self, a small defiance against the grind. It's a reminder that even in the most demanding environments, little acts of self-care and resourcefulness paved the way for those degrees.