During a time of social strife, mass surveillance and the prospect of many people’s civil rights being revoked, many students’ minds go to the same place.

Cookout.

We are living in a time of change, and students are thinking about what changes they would like to see in their school and the broader community.

Out of 134 students interviewed, 39 students wanted more restaurants, 22 of these students specifically asking for a Cookout.

Some students, however, had different hopes for the community.

“I like to see them add an old fashioned computer café or something along those lines,” senior Teegan Krieger said.

Senior Ethan Gunter had more widespread plans for the community.

“We need a culture and sense of community. The only place that is kind of cultured is Downtown, and that is kind of small, and the rest of it is just foreign people that said, ‘Oh, Research Triangle, let’s go get rich and not talk to people.’ It is sad.”

Though several students would like to add to the community, some students long to retain the current shape of Wake Forest.

“All the construction that has been happening just needs to stop. Just undo it,” senior Erin Morales said.

A smaller part of the community, the school, could also do with some changes according to most students, with only one student saying that nothing should change in the school.

Some students would like changes to certain programs.

“We can have a better dance and art program, and we can have a dance team performing during football games,” sophomore Savanna Harris said.

Dress code was a frequent target for school-wide changes.

“I think the dress code. You should be able to wear hats in school,” senior Rahsaun Chandler said.

Most responses, however, could be summarized by senior Alex Perron.

“I understand the rules that we do have here, but they’re so enforced that it just feels unnecessary, so I guess to lay back on how strict we are with them. I understand that some people don’t follow the rules at all, but for the people who do, it kind of feels like a prison.”