After five grueling days, Kuvia is finally over (for those who pushed through all five days, anyway). As they headed back to bed, the HC UChicago staff went around asking students for their final verdict on the UChicago winter tradition, catching them right before they slept through the day. So what DID we think of Kuvia? Why should you do it? Our very own UChicago Kuvia participants weigh in!
“I tried, but I couldn’t get out of bed.” – Aaron Deng
“I would say that Kuvia is one of those really random traditions that UChicago started that makes barely any sense but you do it anyways because, even though it’s much too early in the morning, you get to bond with your house and it makes for some pretty fantastic stories when you get older. Plus the hot chocolate on Thursday night is the best thing to happen ever.” – Sylvia Osbourne
“I don’t particularly like waking up early or exercising, so being able to do this for all five days felt like a huge accomplishment. I really loved doing yoga at the Point at sunrise.” –Kathy Deloso
“Kuvia is an experience that you have to do at least once during your time at UChicago. While it progressively got harder to wake up during the week, the morning exercises made me feel refreshed. Also, being able to “wake up the sun” with the sun salutation we learned enhanced the gorgeous sunrise. I definitely am going to do Kuvia again next year!” – Benita Glamour
“Kuvia is not for everyone. There are some of us who do not have the willpower to make it through the week, let alone one day.” — Sophie Kennedy
“For me, Kuvia was about a commitment to waking up early for one week. That commitment ended up being more than I bargained more, but more rewarding than I expected. Seeing the sun rise at the Point made the entire week worth it.” – Mariah Raynor
“People constantly asked me, ‘Why are you doing this? Why are you doing this again?’ Yeah, waking at 5am for a week is crazy and to do it for not one but three years is crazier but it’s worth it. The sense of community you get when you’re sitting in the gym waiting for each day’s activities to start makes it bearable. But the true reward is after four days of suffering and hating your sleep deprived life, you walk to the Point and watch the sun rise over the Lake. And life is beautiful again and just the memory of the sunrise helps get me through the misery of a long Chicago winter.” – Anamaria Hernandez
“Because I was on COUP board, I had to wake up at an even more ungodly hour to run Kuvia. And, for some unknown reason, I volunteered to be the polar bear mascot on the final day. That turned out to be one of the most interesting experiences, since I’ve never received more hugs or high fives in my life. I have a newfound respect for mascots now because looking enthusiastic in a furry, 5 pound head is quite difficult.” – Michelle Guo