This past week, missing Northwestern student Lou Ost was found sitting idly on the last car of the Purple line L train. When asked what he was doing there, the student revealed that he had been on the line for an entire day.

“I don’t know where the hell I am going,” Ost said.

Ost had decided it was time to explore Chicago. Once he had gotten on the train, he waited patiently to be let off at his location, only to realize he missed his stop. He panicked, worrying he’d never see familiar sights again, until after some time, the train arrived back at his original stop.

“At first I thought it was some sort of mistake,” Ost said, sniffling. “But then I realized that the train had looped.”

Ost had discovered that trains don’t just travel in one direction – and that once they reach an end of the loop, no one forces you to get off. It’s still unclear to reporters whether this was his first train ride ever.

“I was like, holy shit- I traveled the entirety of Chicago, and I didn’t even realize it,” Ost said.

Amazed by this revelation, Ost reported that he just kept riding the train, with no clear end destination in mind.

“Every time people get on this train, they have to pay,” Ost said. “Yet here I am, on the train, no one telling me to get off. By sitting here on this train, I have what others want – freedom – and by staying on, I never have to spend a dime again. I’ve seen all of Chicago, like ten times. In both directions.”

When asked if he ever plans to get off the train to go back to classes or to regular life in general, Ost commented: “I suppose one day I’ll need to get off, but for now, I refuse to be bound to any one location.” The student seemed unaware that he had been sitting in the exact same seat in the exact same car for the past 12 hours.