Every day, tons of freshmen finish their lunches as quickly as possible, grab their friends, don imaginary armor and make the hike across campus to the Chap Court to brave the scorn of frightening upperclassmen. Our calling? Smoothies.

Smoothies in the Chap Court are not a new thing, and their reputation is notable enough to attract freshmen from the Ninth Grade Center, not to mention the sophomores, juniors and seniors already in the Court. The frozen concoctions come in a variety of flavors, including several different kinds of fruits and combinations, such as the popular strawberry-banana option. For $4-$5, they are exciting items to carry to class, almost like a badge that says, “I survived the main building and all the people who come with it.”

Making the hike to the building is like a march to war, and a long one at that. Once you navigate the twists and turns of Westlake (after getting lost at least a few times and having to follow numerous signs), you arrive at the Chap Court, possibly the most intimidating place in the school for a freshman. Inside, upperclassmen talk, eat and laugh, whilst the friendly lunch ladies ring students up and people enter in and out of the room in a constant flow of motion. It’s a much busier place than our ninth grade cafeteria, where we are cocooned within a quieter, less chaotic environment, surrounded by students just as old and new as us. However, our own cafeteria doesn’t have the ultimate prize: the smoothies.

Once in line, one must wait anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes for a smoothie, during which other students try to cut you in line (apparently when it comes to smoothies, it’s every man or woman for him or herself) and worst of all, you listen to a few older students snicker and gossip about you and your friends and the invasion of their cafeteria, which apparently, is a huge inconvenience to their lives. The strategy freshmen have developed to fight against both of these? Travel in a pack, a horde or at least with one loyal friend who has your back — just don’t go alone. Things are much easier to brave with friends by your side.

By this time, it’s your turn in line. You order your smoothie, and it is quickly served up to you, fresh and delicious. You take a sip and taste liquid bliss. Is it just the smoothie, or the satisfaction of knowing that you, a freshman, were able to brave your way through students much older (and scarier) than you?

Either way, both the freshmen and the smoothies are here to stay.