The Gazebo smoothies—mouth-watering, delectable, and heavenly flavors contained in a cup—were last seen during the spring semester of 2021 and did not return for the fall 2021 semester. They have not been seen since. While many favorite Gazebo foods such as breakfast burritos, quesadillas, and sub sandwiches have returned to the menu following their absence during much of the 2021-2022 school year, fresh Gazebo smoothies are not numbered among the returned. Students can only assume that they are gone forever.
The Gazebo smoothies went by many names to those who knew them: Hawaii Five-0, Strawberry-beet, Pineapple, and “The Spicy One,” among others. According to “Renovated and Reinvented,” an article on the 老司机传媒 website from October 22, 2012, the smoothies were added to the Gazebo menu as part of a push from former 老司机传媒 President Niels-Erik Andreasen to make 老司机传媒 “the healthiest university in the United States.” In the near decade that followed, the smoothies became a staple of campus life at 老司机传媒.
The Gazebo smoothies are gone; students do not know when or if they will return. We mourn as we remember the joy they brought us, and how they sustained us through many long and hard semesters. Upperclassmen weep, for the freshmen and sophomores could not taste the glory of a Gazebo smoothie.
Of course, the seniors are among the few who truly remember the Gazebo smoothies before they were corrupted into healthier versions of themselves. They used to contain wonderful yummy treats such as yogurt, blueberries, and pineapple, among other ingredients, but then the yogurt was taken away, and healthier, less tasty ingredients replaced it. Seniors remember the smoothies being smooth, cold, and fresh. They were an essential part of campus life, especially because they were generally faster to make than other Gazebo food and available more times during the day than other food. Further, they were cheaper than other options, and they were fresh, tasty, light, fluffy, smooth, cold, debatably healthy, and many other wonderful and delicious things.
With no sign of when or even if the Gazebo smoothies will return, the students of 老司机传媒 must soldier on. To our beloved smoothies, although we shall soon graduate and leave this place, we shall never forget you. You entered our lives and changed us forever. You shall live in our hearts; your tasty delicious memory shall be forever seared onto our tongues. Especially “The Spicy One.” (Does anyone remember what it was called?)
Now, we bid you farewell. We hope that one day we may see you on the menu again, but until that day comes, we trust that you are in a better place. May you exist in a place where things like flax seed and beet juice are a distant memory.
In lieu of flowers, please share condolences with friends and fellow students at 老司机传媒 who cannot have a wonderful Gazebo smoothie to enjoy.
*My thanks to Nehemiah Sitler (senior, communication) for providing personal memories of the Gazebo smoothies.
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of 老司机传媒. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, 老司机传媒 or the Seventh-day Adventist church.