7 quirky campus traditions Michigan colleges carry on
Spend a moment reflecting on your college glory days with our list of unique campus pastimes in Michigan.
Campus traditions add humor and camaraderie to the college experience. Whether it’s participating in group dances during football games (we’re looking at you, Michigan Wolverines fans and their Blues Brothers routine), celebrating school mascots, or sharing eerie legends about alumni of yesteryear, lore and tradition are integral to most Michigan colleges. Here are seven fascinating, fun, and downright unique campus traditions from Michigan’s higher learning institutions.
1. Fountain walk at the University of Michigan
Graduates of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor are likely familiar with the longstanding “fountain walk,” which kicks off during a student’s freshman orientation and wraps up at graduation. It all happens in an outdoor fountain situated on the Diag, a green space and sprawling square on central campus.
During orientation, students roll up their pant legs and walk across the fountain (usually toward Hatcher Graduate Library) to symbolize the beginning of their college career. On graduation day, students symbolize the end of their time at U of M by wading back through the fountain in the opposite direction.
2. The midnight scream at Michigan State University
If there’s one thing most of us don’t miss about our college days, it’s finals week. You remember the feeling: a sense of overwhelm over seemingly endless studying, the stress of tracking down classmates to wrap up end-of-semester group projects, and—of course—the anxiety of exams themselves.
To help blow off steam during this anxious period, students at Michigan State University take part in a loud and cathartic tradition: the so-called “Midnight Scream.” When the clock strikes midnight on a decided night, students open their windows and, well, scream their frustrations into the void. MSU grads fondly recall the sense of connection and release associated with their beloved annual yell.
3. Central Michigan University cardboard boat races
Want to watch your fellow students frantically make their way across a body of water in handmade boats? Central Michigan University might be just the place for you! During Homecoming Week each year, CMU alumni, students, and even faculty collaborate to create boats made from cardboard (and usually a healthy amount of duct tape).
Onlookers gather to watch the creative vessels race across Rose Pond—and the fact that some boats don’t quite complete the challenge adds to the fun. The race offers a quirky and truly wholesome way to kick off each new school year.
4. Streaking the Quad at Kalamazoo College
Here’s one that makes for a lifelong memory. At Kalamazoo College, don’t be surprised if you see students running across campus in their birthday suits during special events (or on a random Tuesday night). “Streaking the Quad,” as it’s fondly called, has a rich tradition at K College.
The protocol for a successful streak is simple: you depart from the campus chapel, run down the hill while making plenty of celebratory noise, touch the school sign, and return to your starting place. Oh, and nudity is a base requirement. Would you be brave enough to make the bare-bodied journey?
5. Highland Arts at Alma College
Want to visit Scotland, but don’t quite have the cash to afford an international plane ticket? You’re in luck! Just head to the small but charming campus of Alma College, where you’ll find Scottish culture and tradition galore.
Alma’s athletic teams are known as the Scots, and that’s not where the dedication to Scottish-ness ends. A visit to campus will reveal everything from marching band members in kilts to bagpipers and Kiltie dancers, all part of the school’s renowned Highland Arts program.
6. The Pull at Hope College
Did you love playing tug-of-war as a kid? Well, Hope College in the lakeside town of Holland has just the thing to rekindle your love: its annual grown-up tug-of-war competition known fondly as The Pull. Since 1898, Hope students have gathered for the fall matchup between two teams, one composed of freshmen and the other of sophomores.
On “Pull Day,” teams fight with all their force in dirty (often muddy!) pits to claim the rope, cheered on by a team of “moralers” who offer encouragement and directions. It’s not for the faint of heart, but it sure is fun.
7. Painting the Pillar at Eastern Michigan University
If you visit the campus of Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, you might notice a large brick pillar near the primary entrance. This landmark, referred to simply as “the Pillar,” has earned a reputation as something of a king-sized campus message board.
Students take to painting the Pillar with messages related to upcoming events, school spirit, and other causes, simply covering up the previous message with each new painting. Some say the original Pillar was actually a flagpole, but decades of paint transformed it to its current size.
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