When I first heard that the Evanston Chili’s would be demolished in favor of new apartments, my initial reaction was to despair. Complain. Cry, even.

But then, I realized, sometimes it’s not enough to just whine. Sometimes, you have to stand up for what you believe in. And that’s why I’m chaining myself to the Evanston Chili’s.

Chili’s isn’t just a restaurant—it’s an institution of joy. An institution of the Triple Dipper. An institution of a multitude of margaritas. An institution where Northwestern theatre groups, acapella groups, and the Northwestern Flipside (the most important) gather to rejoice and yap.

So, when the new luxury apartment construction people inevitably yell at me through a megaphone and ask what I am trying to achieve, I will respond that I am fighting for an establishment that has given so much to this Evanston community.

I will chain myself to the greasy, tortilla-chip-crumb-filled booths for the rest of my undergraduate career if I have to! Do you think I chose Northwestern for the academics, the extracurriculars, or the community? No! I chose it for the Evanston Chili’s. And it’s not just me; everyone I know wrote their “Why Northwestern?”essay about Chili’s.

I refuse to live in a world where I walk past the corner of Church Street and do not hear, “Welcome to Chili’s.” I will not be swayed; I will not be bargained with; I will not unchain myself until I know that this Chili’s will stay in Evanston for as long as we exist as a human race. No matter what tricks these evil apartment people try, I will stand strong—wait, what’s that? They’re offering me a free Triple Dipper if I unchain myself?

…You know what, we all need places to live. Maybe new apartments aren’t so bad after all.