On the night of Sept. 17, students crowded on the sidewalk outside 6470 N. Sheridan Rd. dressed in their comfiest pajamas.
On the night of Sept. 17, students crowded on the sidewalk outside 6470 N. Sheridan Rd. dressed in their comfiest pajamas.
On the night of Sept. 17, students crowded on the sidewalk outside 6470 N. Sheridan Rd. dressed in their comfiest pajamas. By 8 p.m., the line was ready to participate in a beloved campus tradition — Insomnia Cookies’ annual PJ Party.
The rules for this event were simple — wear pajamas and download the Insomnia Cookies app to get rewards.
Garcia said a lot of preparation goes into an event like this, including creating plans for crowd control and inventory management months in advance.
“The line wraps around the entire block,” Garcia said. “What we try to do is crowd control outside. The goal is that when they reach the register, it’s a smooth process from there.”
The event took three months to prepare, according to Garcia.
“We prepare decorations and a rough estimate of the amount of how many cookies we’ll have and how many guests we’ll anticipate seeing,” Garcia said. “But it’s so rewarding — I like to see the students be happy.”
Undecided first-year Trenton Mason said Insomnia Cookies is a popular choice because of their late hours.
“The late-night vibes and the ice cream with warm cookies make tonight so special,” Mason said. “We love cookies. Cookies are great. They’re open late and that’s when I want my cookies.”
Mason, and his friend Jack Barry, joined hundreds of students drawn in by the promise of a free warm cookie and t-shirt.
“We’re just all bonding over cookies and free t-shirts and I really think that’s a wonderful thing,” Barry said. “Especially during a stressful time of figuring out who you are and what you want to do.”
The annual PJ Party wasn’t just about the free cookies — it also brought students together from all corners of campus. Fourth-year Ashlee Ricker reminisced about her experience with Insomnia as a first-year.
“In freshman year, there was this one cookie I loved so much — walnut oatmeal — and me and my roommate would split it all the time,” Ricker said. “It brings back good memories now that I think about it.”
Fourth-year double major in anthropology and biology Hannah Jaghab said she likes how Insomnia is inclusive and caters to the needs of a variety of students.
“They have a lot of options, including gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan options, which is helpful for college students with varied diets,” Jaghab said.
Many students said the chocolate chip was their favorite cookie — some said they find comfort in its familiarity and simple yet classic flavor. Insomnia Cookies Operations Manager Brenda Garcia said she thinks chocolate chip cookies are considered a “safe option,” which is why they get bought most often.
For other students, it was the rare and not-very-popular cookies that shaped their college experiences. Hayden Hirschhaut, a third-year resident assistant double majoring in sociology and film, said the mint chocolate chip cookies are her favorite.
“As an RA, we get Insomnia for a lot of our events, and no one ever takes the mint chocolate chip cookies, so we get to eat all of them,” Hirschhaut said. “They’re good — I don’t know why no one ever takes them.”
The accessibility and affordability of Insomnia Cookies were key draws for many students, including first-year political science major, Azizah Bishi.
“It’s good, it’s cheap and they’re open until 3 a.m,” Bishi said. “We never go to Insomnia unless it’s late at night”
For many, Insomnia has become synonymous with late-night bonding sessions.
“Whenever I go to Insomnia, I always go with friends, so it’s a fun trip within itself,” second-year bioinformatics major Tanvi Chadalawada said. “We’ll always grab it and eat it at the beach together, so it becomes kind of like a nostalgic moment.”
Garcia said students come to the event because of the deals and vibrant decorations.
“It’s nice and gives the students a way to escape the stress of studying,” Garcia said.
Even though schedules might get hectic packed with meetings, classes and extracurriculars, it’s
worth taking a break to enjoy the simple pleasures of college life, Jaghab explained.
“Take advantage of it being right there and the fact that it has events like the PJ party — not everyone knows about it, but it’s worth it,” fourth-year Anna Stieren said.
Garcia also pointed out events like this help the store, located near Loyola’s Lake Shore Campus, feel more connected to the university’s community.
“We love to be part of the campus and it’s nice to make that connection with our guests because they’re not guests anymore,” Garcia said. “They become family.”
Insomnia Cookies, located at 6470 N. Sheridan, is open from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday through Wednesday, and 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. Thursday through Monday. The menu can be found on their website.
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