Students felt the heat of finals with the potential threat of fire

As the faculty and students residing in the Memorial Union gathered across the street when the fire alarm went off on Thursday, May 2, one student stood out from the bunch.

Patrick Pochant, a North Dakota State student, stood across the street terrified, but not of the fire.

Instead, Pochant was afraid of one thing and one thing only — getting his presentation done before his class began.

“I’m freaking out guys,” Pochant said to a group of people nearby, quickly typing with one hand while holding his laptop with the other.

In the few minutes that students remained outside, while authorities checked the building, Pochant remained hard at work.

The Memorial Union was deemed safe to re-enter soon after everyone had evacuated the building.