Bwogger Solomia Dzhaman loves John Jay breakfast and believes it deserves recognition.

Oh John Jay breakfast. Often ignored, often forgotten, regarded as a worse version of Ferris. At first, it seems as though John Jay has little to offer – the same omelets, the same bagels, the same sketchy scrambled eggs, typical Columbia breakfast fare. I’ll admit Ferris biscuits are good, and Ferris usually has a better variety of foods, but to me, those differences are inconsequential.

What John Jay has that Ferris will never achieve is a sense of peace.

There is nothing as gentle as John Jay at 9:30 am, the quiet time when those of us with 10:10s slowly emerge from our holes and congregate to eat our quiet meals and drink our quiet coffee. There are no lines, no crowds. Plenty of seats, and no rush. Sunlight slowly filters in through the fragmented windows, pairs and small groups clump together and exchange updates, wishing each other good luck on whatever exams they may have that day.

The clock ticks, it’s 10:45, more people shuffle in, just as tired, albeit slightly more rushed. They grab coffees and fruit, perhaps a pastry, and enjoy their last moments before class. Even those coming in as late as 10:50 or 10:55 can grab a bite to eat – short lines means that it only takes a few minutes to grab food and go, and even if they may be rushed, these latecomers aren’t stressed.

In the mornings at John Jay, I have never been elbowed, never been given a dirty look, never searched for a seat for more than five seconds. I’ve never been disappointed by a broken coffee machine or the lack of Apple Jack cereal. My friend and I sit at a table, we sip our drinks and chew our food. Sometimes we’re silent mentally prepping ourselves for the day, sometimes we chatter away, filling the morning with energy. John Jay is warm and non-judgmental, I can hold a conversation without disturbing the people around me, but I don’t need to yell over the din of a hundred voices.

So, to John Jay, that has brought me peace and calm nearly every morning this semester, I would like to say thank you. You may be underappreciated, but you are the silent shining star of Columbia dining.

Beautifully Empty John Jay via me