Perhaps it was spring fever, or the pile of work I saw accumulating before the end of the semester. Whatever it was, something motivated me this week to attempt to sustain myself eating nothing but free food obtained from Springfest events. Despite the little Springfest food I initially found, I retained a positive attitude in hopes that, as the week wound into larger events, I would find more food. It would be like a feast at the end of one of those long religious fasting holidays.

Wednesday, April 6 Noon I’ve read the advertisements on campus thoroughly, and I’ve ascertained there will be an eating contest on Krentzman quad. Given that I weigh less than 130 pounds, I’ve never been good at those things, but at least it will be something to eat. After talking to Student Government Association (SGA) President Bill Durkin and presidential-hopeful Michael Benson, fresh off of their News-sponsored debate, I’m hungry, so I’ll eat a lollipop and snag a free T-shirt from their office. There doesn’t seem to be any sign of the eating contest now, though, so I’ll go read the paper.

1:15 p.m. Still no sign of the eating contest. I guess I’ll grab another lollipop. As far as I know, this is the only Springfest event all day. This may be more of an adventure than I originally thought.

3 p.m. Class just ended. My stomach is starting to hurt.

3:15 p.m. Bagel. (Editor’s note: This is the first time Steve cheated.)

5 p.m. I’m going to hear an author lecture at Harvard Square tonight, but there must be something around before I go. Nothing in afterHOURS tonight, according to the people working. There’s a meeting letting out in the Curry Student Center, though, and it looks like they have pizza. Or maybe the meeting’s just starting. Either way, I’ll sneak in non-chalantly and grab a couple slices.

Thursday 12:30 p.m. In the student center, I talk to SGA Senator/ NUTV Vice President of Programming, Censorship and Schedules/Resident Assistant/Founder and former president of NU and Improv’d/Man-involved-with-everything-under-the-sun Chad Cooper. He’s always in the know about events happening on campus. Apparently, there is no Springfest event today. I managed to find a bagel that looked like it was free during a meeting outside, so maybe I’ll be alright. There are a bunch of lectures this afternoon, maybe I’ll get food at whichever one I choose.

3 p.m. No food at the Billy Bulger lecture, “Leadership and Change in the Massachusetts Legislature” at the Egan Research Center, at least nothing that will fill me up. I’d love to go to this talk about how the brain works by this guy Jerry Fodor. There’s no food there, either, so I’ll definitely need a bagel before digesting all of that knowledge and arcane terminology.

6 p.m. There really isn’t anything going on. I need something nourishing other than a bagel. I guess I’ll go grab some Thai food (Editor’s note: second time, Steve) and hope for more food tomorrow.

Friday Noon I’ve searched around and there’s not much going on. Tons of bagels and muffins, though, as all the forthcoming freshman scamper around to their meetings with their cute parents. Makes me remember when I was in their shoes … I mean, I think I’m hungry. Seems like it’s more possible to live off the food the campus provides for meetings than anything else. I’ll grab a couple muffins for the road. This should get me through the day. I guess there’s an event at afterHOURS tonight. I told some friends I’d go to a dance party in Newburyport, though.

2 a.m. The dance party is over. Good thing I had these muffins. Thank you, incoming freshmen.

Saturday 2 p.m. Today is Springfest proper. I can grab some muffins from more freshman events now. Then, as advertised, there will be plenty of free food tonight after the concert at afterHOURS, plus an appearance by Dennis “Mr. Belding” Haskins of Saved by the Bell fame.

9 p.m. Ice cream from J.P. Licks. (Editor’s note: Third time means Steve is on the verge of failure.)

10:20 p.m. I talked to my friend Frank, an afterHOURS employee. Apparently, there was free food advertised, but no one told the club to acquire it. People are still here, though, and Mr. Belding will be out in 40 minutes, so I guess despite the lack of free food and my own light diet, Springfest has been a decent event.