National Pizza Day is upon us, and it’s time to set down our forks and knives and get our hands greasy. Friday, February 9 of 2018 is National Pizza Day, and I think we can all agree that the holiday is on par with our most beloved national days of waffles and cookies.

Pizza is as American as apple pie and buffalo wings, and also as messy. The cheesy dish may be one of the biggest hits in the country, but that doesn’t mean we know everything about it.

Surprisingly, in a survey of Bob Jones students, even though the classic cheese and pepperoni pizzas won out by quite a bit, many people said that they like more unique pizzas, like artichoke, pineapple, and buffalo chicken. The generic choices are always the best for large gatherings, but it seems someone’s choice in pizza toppings can be as unique as their personality.

Kirsten Stiggers, a student at Bob Jones, said that people can bond over pizza by “sitting together and watching movies or fighting over the last slice.” It seems the only frustrating thing about the eating experience is figuring out who has to pay for the pie.

Speaking of pie, pizza first started to be referred to as pizza pie in the 19th century, when immigrants in New York were told by Italians that the dish was called pizza, despite their opinions as to the obvious resemblance to pie in the crust and circular shape.

Although the origins of National Pizza Day are unknown, everyone can agree that the unofficial holiday is an interesting tradition, and a great excuse to cheat on their diets.

The origins of pizza date back to the 16th century, when Italian peasants would drizzle olive oil and place cheap toppings on inexpensive flatbread. The nobles found the food disgusting at the time. Now, almost everyone you meet is a fan of pizza, and no matter how wealthy or poor someone is, there’s no turning down a slice. Get ready to gorge yourself, because today’s the perfect day to stuff your face with as much pizza as possible!