Mad queens and crying dragons

Whether you loved the last episode of Game of Thrones and thought there couldn't have been a more fitting end, or are one of those 1.3 million people demanding a remake, you have to agree that life will never be the same again... well, until the next big show comes along (do we hear "spinoff"?). Here are some golden nuggets from #forthethrone in case you missed it!

PSA: SPOILER ALERT!!

Also, shout out to Groupwerk for dropping a sick music video yesterday, with some of our favorite faculty taking on the Beyonce's Before I Let Go Challenge! Watch the full video, get inspired, and buy your tickets for their annual showcase on CampusGroups!

In other news, 3 months ago, Natalie W. and Eric B. started a 16 flavor head-to-head Cheerio bracket taste test. They have hosted 6 tastings (3 noise complaints) and reached over 50 people. Last Thursday was the final, where Oat Crunch took home the grand prize (YAY!). Why is this a big deal, you ask? Well, General Mills heard about the challenge and reached out to offer a sponsorship with $2000 worth of SWAG! Now, that's what we call hustling! Natalie and Eric promise to be back with more such challenges and in the mean time, you can check out their Insta channel @cheeriochallenge and join them on Slack #cheerios_challenge.

Don't abandon that umbrella yet

Power through the dreary, cloudy weather today with a high of 51°F (11°C), and thou shall be rewarded with sunny weather tomorrow.  

A note from the WBA 

WBA and Manbassadors have reserved a room TODAY for you to gather and share your thoughts related to the recent reproductive rights legislation (8:00 a.m., 2120). This event is meant to provide an open forum for those interested in sharing their feelings, and it is not intended to be a debate. We recognize that this is an extremely sensitive topic, and we ask that you be respectful and engage accordingly. Our team is also exploring future programming that provides a variety of perspectives in a more structured format.
 
Thank you in advance for helping us create a respectful environment for open dialogue!

Tuesday Free Lunches

• Over-committed yet?: Are you someone who is already on the board for 5 different clubs? Make sure you remember to attend the mandatory Clubs and Finance Training by KSA today if you haven't already. (12:15 p.m., TBD)
• What's your startup's brand?: As part of Startup Week, join Professor Rick Desai for a talk on the value of building a startup brand and the process of defining it effectively. (12:15 p.m., Innovation Lab)
• AI Applications in Finance: Join Marie Carr, Global Growth Strategy leader at PwC, to learn more about the penetration of Industry 4.0 into financial and insurance services. (12:15 p.m., 1420) 
• Who will be the next Beyond Burger?: Join Food & Ag. and EVC for a TEDx-style talk from 3 industry experts on "The Financing of Food: Strategic Perspectives on Funding Game-Changing Innovations." (5:15 p.m., 1420&30) 

Happy Hump Day!

• Ready to move on: As another checklist item before graduating, join the "Putting Everything Together, and Moving Forward After Kellogg" workshop open to Class of 2019 candidates who have taken the Emotional and Social Competency Inventory. (1:45 p.m., 1120)
• It's time for VentureCat!: Come watch 25 amazing teams compete in one of five tracks for over $100,000 in prize money (and bragging rights, of course), and listen to keynote speaker, Jon McNeill, COO of Lyft. (5:00 p.m., White Auditorium)

A quick chat with our friend Edward

I'm sure many of you have seen this joyous face in the halls of Kellogg over these last six months. So we stopped to chat with Edward, one of the newest Aramark staffers here at the Hub.

Daybreak: How long have you worked here?
Edward: I've been here at the Global Hub for six months, and another four years working at the library on campus.

D: What were you up to before you started at Northwestern?
E: This is my second job in the US. I was a valet at a building downtown for a short while. My wife and three sons moved here from Baghdad, Iraq, with me in 2011.

D: Wow, Baghdad! How did you end up in Chicago coming from there? And you speak wonderful English, how did you learn it?
E: I studied English at university back home. Because of my language skills, I worked with the Iraqi and US governments as an Interceptor. I would help translate and interpret communiqués. The US trusted me because I helped them, so they gave me a visa for my family.

D: That's fascinating! If you can say, who were you working for? 
E: I worked with US Special Forces units from 2005-2011, mostly the Marine Corps. They flew me in helicopters to work with them out of Mosul, Fallujah, and Ramadi. 

D: I assume you learned British English. How was the adjustment to the American accent?
E: The British accent is much easier for me.
D: <putting on a British accent> So you find this easier?
E: (Laughing) Much! Unlike Arabic, English has no standard way to speak it, so it makes it harder. In Arabic, there's are different forms spoken in Iraq and Morocco for example, but we all communicate in the standard dialect.

D: Have you been back since you came to the US?
E: No. I don't want to get kidnapped. My family is Assyrian Christian and with ISIS in my country, we are much safer here. Chicago has about 2000 Assyrian Christian families, so this is much better. Also, I received many letters of appreciation from high ranking people in the US, thanking me for my service so we feel very welcome here.

So if you see Edward tomorrow or any day, give him a wave and a smile. He's part of what makes this Kommunity great.

Bring out those hiking boots!

It may not be the best weather, but here at Daybreak, we're starting to prep for the summer! Of all the activities that we can do, we're super excited about being able to step out in the open again without the fear of getting dumped on (we mean snow!)

Now, we may be bang in the middle of the widespread plains of the Midwest, but believe it or not, there are tons of places to go enjoy a hike that can make you break a sweat. Check out our recs to plan that perfect hike that will give even the Wilderness Club a run for its metaphorical money (#ksabudget.)

• Starved Rock State Park: In under 90 minutes, you can have access to over 13 miles of trails, with gorgeous waterfalls and canyons along the way. The Starved Rock Loop is a 5 mile intermediate trail and takes you through the best parts of the park.
• Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore: This 3.5 mile multi-loop hike at West Beach highlights the unique dune landscape and a memorable viewpoint of the Chicago skyline. It's considered difficult, so make sure to grab that #athlete friend as you plan your day trip! 
• Palos Park: Bullfrog is not just a section name. The Bullfrog Loop is a 7.5 mile strenuous hike that offers enough variety to keep you entertained, and plenty of scenery to distract you in the challenging sections.
• The Lakefront: And of course, the mother of all trails, this one takes you along Lake Michigan as you get those steps in. Given that we have only about 3 good months worth of weather, we recommend you take time this summer to walk or bike this easy 18 mile trail ending in downtown Chicago.

If the weather stars align, we'll be ready to hit a couple of these come Memorial Day weekend, but for those of you doing your summer internship in Chicago, don't forget to post your fave hike moment and tag @daybreakbeta!