School can be a very stressful time in a person’s life, and many students rely on cuddling up with their pets to unwind from a busy day. But college students usually don’t have the option to bring their fur babies with them. That’s where the Global Neighborhood cats come in.

Global Neighborhood residents have found a community within a group of cats who have made themselves at home outside of Global Commons. 

Sophomore Alice Efremov is one of many students who have bonded with the kitties, particularly Cinder, by bringing them food and treats, grooming them and petting them.

Cinder is a large, fluffy gray cat that loves to interact with the people who spend time with her.

“Cinder is the most lovely one and she is incredibly soft so she’s my favorite, but I just love all of them so much,” Efremov said. “My favorite moment has been when cinders recently fully laid down in my lap and just let me pet her. Plus, it was after I gave her a treat so she wasn’t sticking around for food.”

“I got close with them over the summer and gained their trust. Then I started bringing them treats and stuff and brushing Cinder so that she wouldn’t get matted,” Efremov said. “Now they’re at a point where they know what noise [my friend] and I make and they come out running 95% of the time.”

Efremov said of the cats, Cinder is the most interactive with students. Efremov wants other students to know that there are certain ways you should, and shouldn’t, interact with the cats.

“I think especially at the beginning of the year people need to understand that they are not starving and every first year doesn’t need to feed them,” Efremov said. “That’s why I only give them treats, because they have quite enough food. Just respect their boundaries and don’t overfeed them.”

Circle K is not only a staple of Elon’s campus, but also a staple of student life. Though the gas station is essential for the student and staff populations with cars, the more important aspect of the convenience store is its snack options. While I acknowledge that everyone has their own food preferences, I am going to share with you my pick for the most elite Circle K snack run. 

First and foremost, I applaud Circle K for being well rounded. There are little-to-no snack categories that cannot be found, or in other words, there is something for everybody. When it comes to snacking, there are a few must-have categories: Sweet, crunchy, salty, chocolatey, savory and fruity. The trick is figuring out how to overlap snacks to check all of these boxes.

The most important item in any good snack run is the drink; this is what I always start with. Though Circle K is not always swift in restocking, a lemon Brisk iced tea can fulfill both the sweet and the fruit flavors. It also falls on the cheaper side at a buck and some change and comes in a bigger bottle (more bang for your buck) than most other drinks.

Next in rapid succession: Kettle Corn Popcorners, Sweet Tarts Gummies fruit splitz and chocolate covered pretzels. Kettle Corn Popcorners may be the snack run’s MVP. Crunchy, salty and savory, this snack comes in a size larger than a normal chip bag but smaller than a family-sized portion. It also obviously checks the most boxes out of any other snack. The Sweet Tart gummies cover sweet and fruity, while chocolate pretzels pull more than their own weight with crunchy, salty and chocolatey.

Other acceptable options that may cover nonessential categories could be any form of ramen. Spicy chicken or spicy shrimp flavors are great ways to get a spicy fix, along with other spicy chips which can count for the spicy, crunchy and/or salty categories. Some other fan favorites are the Circle K fountain drink and the Circle K donut. These can be substituted as or in addition to one’s choice of drink or sweet.