ASC Decoded: Pancake Jam

Ending Semesters with a Bang at Agnes Scott College

The ASC Decoded series seeks to explain the unique parts of Agnes Scott’s identity that students may have never heard of. Today, we cover Pancake Jam, the twice-yearly event that just occurred on campus.

It’s the last day of classes for the semester at Agnes Scott. You get through the last class, maybe with a paper or a presentation, or while talking about your self-scheduled final exam or final paper due. You know that the next day is Reading Day for you to focus on studying, but you have the evening to yourself. What do you do?

If you are a Scottie, what you do is put on your best pajamas and head to Evans Dining Hall for one of the loudest and tastiest Agnes Scott traditions: Pancake Jam.

Pancake Jam is a newer Agnes Scott tradition, deemed as a celebration of the end of classes for a semester and a chance to unwind before finals start. It’s also a chance to gather with fellow students and see your favorite professors and staff members before you dive into final exams.

Pancake Jam starts out slow; students show up early (wearing their best pajamas) for wellness activities like free 15-minute chair massages, relaxing coloring and board games. Around 9 p.m., however, the party gets started as dining hall staff, professors and staff members from across campus come together in chef’s hats and aprons to serve a free meal to students- specifically, a huge nighttime breakfast feast. The star of the show is, obviously, pancakes, with a special line dedicated specifically to the famous blueberry pancakes and chefs flipping pancakes on griddles as fast as they can make them. If you want to fill out your feast, however, all of the breakfast fixings are usually available.

While the feast may be the highlight of the show, the evening does not end after you eat your pancakes. A DJ lights up the dining hall so everyone can dance any exam stress away for the evening. It culminates in two special Agnes Scott mini-traditions: the seniors completing the “Senior Shout” chant from the senior table (you’ll just have to wait and see when you get to Agnes Scott for that one) and then everyone dancing and screaming along to a song made specifically for the exam season: “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey, perhaps even while standing on some furniture (check out this video from 2011!).

It’s no surprise that 18% of Scotties say that Pancake Jam is their favorite tradition or event or campus! It’s the highlight of the end of the semester. As admission counselor Faith Rashidi-Yazd ‘20 put it: “As a student, I loved how the whole campus community would come together before finals and break to celebrate!”

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