In Memoriam: Remembering Those We Lost In 2009

The ending of a year is always bittersweet, as we think back on those who ascended to the Heavens this calendar cycle. Sure, Michael Jackson and DJ AM died, but so did some of our favorite and least favorite campus institutions. As the year comes to a close, we pay tribute to those we lost in '09:

Transit Deceased: April 2009 Cause of Death: All good things must come to an end? Survived By: Painfully bad fake ID's, Theos, short black skirts, the eight people in each bathroom stall, Lil' Wayne anthems. In Memoriam: We were crushed to hear the most epic of downtown venues was closing up. Transit was the rare friend to all: a trippy rave spot and Spring Fling bonanza locale bundled up into one massive, sweaty dance hall.

Izzy and Zoe's Deceased: January 2009 Cause of Death: We first noted the mysterious, unexplained shuttering of the 40th Street pseudo-Jewish deli in late January. In February, things shut down for good, due to a lease breach that involved "intermittent closings." Survived By: Hungover frat bros, Jews, rat infestations. In Memoriam: We will miss the Kugel, but not the food poisoning.

Savory Deceased: August 2009 Cause of Death: Gia Pronto's badass cousin, Taglio, took up shop. Survived By: Cranky staff, crappy food. In Memoriam: To be perfectly honest, we don't really miss Savory. At all. Though it was nice that they took PennCash, this PennDining outpost was weak and we feel no need to memorialize it.

Paper Course Reviews Deceased: Spring Semester 2009 Cause of Death: The ol' World Wide Web. Survived By: Number 2 pencils. In Memoriam: Once upon a time, everyone filled out a bubble sheet course evaluation on the last day of class. They were simpler times, and the Scantron sheets reminded us of the SATs. Although the new online system is certainly more efficient, it always feels like a burden. And we miss those fifteen minutes of free time when the professor would leave to let you fill it out!

The Old Marathon Fro Yo Deceased: May 2009 Cause of Death: The demand for tartness. Survived By: Crushed Oreos, a simple chocolate-vanilla swirl, the Marathon employee who looks just like Rihanna (don't you see it?!) In Memoriam: In early May, Marathon began offering one tart flavor in addition to its regulars, much to the delight of sorority ladies the Penn frozen yogurt mafia. Within about a week, they abandoned peanut butter, cookies and cream, chocolate and vanilla entirely for exclusively sour flavors. Though we like the new stuff, there was something about the way they mixed bananas throughout the bottom, middle and top of peanut butter yogurt that just cannot ever be replicated.