There is something about hot wings that makes people just a little bit more honest. Maybe it’s the spice, or maybe the company, but when the Black Student Alliance (BSA) gathered on May 20 for their biannual hot takes event, opinions were flying.

The event, a recurring favorite among students on campus, invited attendees to pair spicy hot wings with even spicier commentary. Participants were encouraged to grab some wings, find a seat and feel comfortable to share whatever they thought. From lighthearted debates about food preferences to heated disagreements about pop culture, the event delivered what it promised. 

Some of the most animated conversations of the evening centered on questions that may seem trivial on the surface but quickly revealed just how passionately people feel about their preferences. A statement like “mac and cheese is overrated” was enough to divide the room instantly. Bold claims about grandma’s recipe to the validity of boxed mac and cheese sparked defenses. Meanwhile, the question of whether chitins are actually good brought out a generational divide that even lemon pepper wings couldn’t bridge. 

Later on in the night, music and entertainment became the center of the debate.  The argument over whether PinkPantheresses’ music videos are worth the hype had some defending her Y2K-esque aesthetic, while others remained unconvinced. 

Next came arguably the most heated debate of the night: is Drake washed?

On the lighter side, students tackled the pressing cultural questions of whether Labubus should make a comeback, or if their time has come and gone. 

What made this event a smashing success wasn’t just the wings or the topics, but the atmosphere BSA created. The event functions as a no-judgement zone where students can workshop their most controversial opinions, laugh and connect with people they might have never crossed paths with otherwise. 

For many attendees, that is the real draw of the event. The hot takes provide a low-stakes entry point into conversations that build community.With the event’s annual success, BSA understands that feeding people and giving them something to argue about is one of the most reliable formulas to bring a community together.

No matter if your take is hot, lukewarm or deeply misguided, BSA always has a seat at the table for you.