The best things in life are free, and the second best things are usually ones we pretend not to be obsessed with. Our guilty pleasures are the things that we hate that we love, and here in Pittsburgh, we have a few unique ones all to our own.
1. Taking the 10A (when you really shouldn’t): The 10A is a wonderful and convenient service graciously offered by the University, when you manage to actually get on it. Many of us can admit to having chased after it screaming while the driver with her iPod blasting in her ears speeds away from you before you can get on, then get off after only two blocks. We all have our excuses for this: Clapp Hall is just too far. It’s cold. It’s windy. You aren’t wearing the right shoes.
Have no shame in taking the 10A that two blocks. But hey, we pay for it, right?
2. The “O” Fries: Sunday morning, waking up in a groggy haze trying to remember last night when BAM, it all comes back to you and you’ve never been more disgusted with yourself: you went to the “O.” Your body and your diet always hate you afterwards, but at the time you were there, you were the happiest punk in Pittsburgh while scarfing down fries and ketchup that they made you pay extra for. A similar train of thought applies to Sorrento’s and Romano’s and just about anywhere that lets you stumble in at 2 a.m., starved and sloppy.
3. Market Grilled Cheese: The recipe for Market grilled cheese is two pieces of white bread, some processed cheese, and an entire stick of butter. The thought, “I think I’m going to get a grilled cheese,” is usually accompanied by “I’m stress-eating,” “I’ll get a salad, too,” or “Hell yeah, let’s finish Thirsty Thursday at Late Night.” So bad, but so so so good.
4. Going to Frat Row… as an Upperclassmen: By junior year, you are supposed to have an overflowing and exciting social life that never includes finding yourself in Frat Row surrounded by fresh-meat … I mean, freshmen. However, where else are you going to go and get in for free, get beer for free, and not get kicked out when someone in your group looks like they are having a little too much fun (I want my ten bucks back, Whim). Just pretend to be a freshman when asked and don’t touch anything.
5. Pitt Makeouts: For any of you who do not have a twitter, Pitt Makeouts is an anonymously run Twitter account where students send in shots of couples getting caught in the social crime of PDA. It’s also my favorite guilty pleasure here at Pitt. A Saturday or Sunday morning is not complete without scrolling through my Twitter Line and seeing the hysterical shots that are always equipped with a too-true, witty caption. Is it petty and an invasion of privacy? Maybe. Is it hysterical? Definitely.
6. Mi Ranch: It is only fitting that after Pitt Makeouts, Mi Ranch, the place where the account gets practically half of their pictures, comes next. Some would call Mi Ranch just a straightforward pleasure, but with everything that goes down and everyone that gets let in, I think the guilty part works. Yet, in the spirit of Mi Ranch, we won’t judge too harshly.
We are subjected to our tastes, even if they are very poor tastes. Keep in mind, we only have four years to feel no shame when replying “Boxed” when asked what wine we prefer, and the day will come too soon where a drunk picture will mean an end to our careers instead of a good laugh. Enjoy shamelessly, Pittsburgh.
Its been a pleasure,
Danielle Fox
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Picture Credit:
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