Did you know Talon’s birthday is February 7? Neither did I until earlier last week, when I saw a poster from the Office of Student Life (OSL) advertising her upcoming birthday party. The advertisement promised snacks, celebrations, and of course, a visit from the hawk herself. Upon seeing this, I knew I had to go, if not at least for the opportunity to write an article.
February 7, 2025, 7 p.m., at the Bog. This is where the great birthday bash took place, and to be honest, great is the word to describe the event. I got there a bit late, unfortunately, at 7:10 p.m., which means that while I missed the initial festivities, I did get to witness the scale of the event. A line stretched from the entrance of the bog all the way to the pool tables, and it took me close to 15 minutes just to get in. The Bog was packed with students from all walks of life, waiting for the moment to see Talon and wish her a happy birthday.
I finally got in close to 7:25 p.m., much later than I had initially anticipated. By this time, all the snacks and almost all the drinks were gone (and based off the chatter I had heard in the line, I suspect this was the case long before I got in anyhow). However, the bog was still indeed packed. You could hardly make your way through the crowd without stopping or bumping into others. All eyes were turned to Talon, with her bright red feathers highlighting her presence in the space. Students formed a disorderly line, waiting to take pictures with Talon.
Now, I’m personally not much of a party person, and I’d be lying if I said the lack of snacks by the time I got there didn’t bum me out. However, I cannot deny the success of the event. The bog was buzzing with energy, and clearly there was enough demand for the food for it to be disintegrated like a hunk of meat in a piranha infested pond. Even by 7:30 p.m., as I started to make my leave after taking my pictures, the Bog still had plenty of students, and there was still a line for pictures with Talon. OSL clearly hit a homerun with this event. I imagine there must be students pumped for next year’s celebrations. So, to Talon, happy birthday, and I hope the next year treats you well!