Food is probably one of the most underrated yet important ways to keep your energy up — whether you’re dancing or simply attending THON. Dancers have been off caffeine of any kind for weeks leading up to the weekend, so the best option to keep spirits high is to eat regularly throughout the event.

Thankfully, the Hospitality committee has taken over the concession stands here at the BJC and are serving up all your THON dietary needs with a cheerful pink-shirted smile. I talked to Meghan Williams, one of the dozens behind the concession counter, about dancing, food, and the life of a Hospitality committee member.

I suppressed a yawn as I sidled up to the concession stand around 6:00 a.m. Despite the fact that I was ready to collapse on the floor, fall asleep, and just let the R&R committee members swarm around me, the area behind the stand was a flurry of pink shirts bustling with activity. I asked Meghan how long she and her team had been there. She told me that they had taken one 4 hour sleep break, and that their current shift began at 3:30 a.m  and will continue until 8:00 a.m. “Other than that we’ve been here the whole time,” she said, with no hint of sleepiness whatsoever. (Note the jealousy in my voice).

I bought a breakfast sandwich ($4) and some hashbrowns ($3) hoping they would get me in the morning mood. After I ordered I asked Meghan about the most popular concession items so far, and she confessed that there was a clear contender, “Definitely the personal pizzas.” The pizzas are available in plain cheese or pepperoni, and run for about $6 a pop (or if you don’t want to use REAL money they take LionCash and meal points as well). The second most popular item is the buffalo chicken flat bread. When I asked her to explain exactly what that was, she said it’s “basically a fancy pizza,” which is something I think we can all get behind. The flat breads run for $5, which is a deal considering they’re fancier yet cheaper than the regular pizzas.

Coming in close behind are the $5 liter water bottles (which beats waiting in line for the water fountain) along with the Thon Cups ($5) with $2 refills for this weekend and any other time you visit the BJC in the future.

And just because your working hard doesn’t mean you can’t let loose. According to Meghan, “We’ve been singing and dancing just like we’re on the floor. It’s been a lot of fun!” So if the exhaustion and sleep deprivation are getting to you, make sure you stop by one of the concession stands for some food and friendly faces!