The number one Bodo’s ticket of the day is the epitome of no pain, no gain. But if you wake up early enough, you can eat a delicious bagel on the steps of the Rotunda and watch the sunrise behind Old Cabell. All of the earlier dread from pulling yourself out of bed is forgotten, and the calm silence with the occasional bird or passerby has the most peaceful effect. It’s always at the peak business that I’ve attempted to get the number one ticket. With good company and a yummy bagel in hand, early Bodo’s has a way of re-centering the soul. Here are all the ways I’ve attempted and failed so you don’t have to.
- First year–friend oversleeping
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My first year, my friend and I attempted to marathon the whole night. At first, an all nighter seems like a strategic way to avoid the blares of the god awful 6 AM alarm. And while it may seem like a perfect solution, it never works and someone ultimately always crashes without enough energy to wake up. But it’s funny how things always work out because ever since then, that friend and I have stuck together throughout our UVA journey.
- Second Year–Realizing Bodo’s has different hours for the weekends
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My second year, I had originally planned to go to Bodo’s with a friend on a Friday. We were prepared to wake up at 6 AM and walk together with extra time to spare. But because of the hectic-ness of Fridays, we rescheduled to Saturday–still waking up at 6 AM. It wasn’t until we arrived that I realized Bodo’s opens at 8 AM on Saturday and Sundays. We had just under two hours to kill, so we spent the whole time walking and talking. We got so wrapped up, that the ticket almost slipped our mind. But by the time we came back, a line had already formed. The lesson was learned–always check hours ahead of time. I wouldn’t trade it for anything though because those two hours set the tone of our friendship and we’ve been each other’s go-to through thick and thin.
- Third Year–The Semi-success
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Learning the collective lessons from my first and second year, I properly planned ahead for my third-year: I double checked the hours and got enough sleep the night before. But less than 12 hours until we had to roll out, I spontaneously invited some acquaintances. We had never really gotten to properly know each other before hand, but whoever is down for impulsive and painfully early adventures is a keeper. Even though everyone was collectively dead inside, there was good energy with lively chattering as we waited in front of Bodo’s until it opened. Although I didn’t actually personally get the number one ticket because I went with an organization, I still consider it a partial win. But it was off the charts a successful meet up with old and new friends. I highly recommend randomly picking a day and a friend to go with because the memories are always so precious and you might find a new class buddy!
I still have one more year to get the number one ticket. But with all of these lessons, hopefully you and I can get the number one ticket with little pain but a whole lot of gain!