Quirky traditions and Weird Stuff

As an independent college counselor, I have visited many colleges and universities across the U.S. I believe it’s important to experience them first hand—not just read about them in books, browse their websites or check them out on instagram. That’s not enough. Each year, I try to visit 10 to 15 schools, sit in on their information sessions, take a tour, and meet with an admissions counselor. Sometimes I visit through pre-arranged tours through the professional organizations I belong to—10 schools in four days makes my head spin, my fall tour last year, but the experience is invaluable, especially when experienced with my colleagues. And I encourage the students I work with to visit the schools they are interested in. 

I don’t always remember exact numbers or statistics off the top of my head, so I take notes to review later and photos on my ipad. But what sticks with me are the unique, quirky details from tours or information sessions. I love sharing these with the students I work with because it helps bring a school to life, especially if they’ve never visited themselves.

So, I thought I’d share some of the more unusual things I’ve learned about different colleges and universities. Here goes…

Did you know James Madison was only 5’4″ tall? His statue on the James Madison University campus is built to his exact height. It was hilarious when my tour guide stood next to the statue for height comparison.

At  Florida Southern College, thirteen campus buildings were designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Dr. Ludd Spivey, President of FSU from 1925-1957, was a friend of Mr. Wright and asked him to design some of the new campus’ buildings. Wright designed twelve buildings for Florida Southern College. Of these, most were built during Wright’s lifetime but one was completed in 2013 based on his original plans. If you ever visit the school, you’ll notice the tours aren’t full of just traditional-aged students and their parents.  Many Wright fans visit the campus during the year since it is the largest single site collection of Wright architecture in the world.

Frank Lloyd Wright did not follow the classical college quad system design but chose a natural path to learning with his mile plus cantilevered covered walkway that menders off at angles.

BEVO, a longhorn steer, is the University of Texas Austin’s mascot.  He’s a live animal and you can see him at every UT football game. When he’s not watching a game, you’ll find him on a ranch just north of the university. I saw him at a game against West Virginia University a few seasons back and I saw the poor steer penned at the far end of the football field and crouched against a wall.  I don’t think he was too happy about being there. (Neither was I) The current BEVO is BEVO #14. Maybe you saw him charge U Georgia’s bulldog, Uga, at one of the last football games this past season.

Clemson University has a pond in front of its main library that is transformed into pure orange liquid before football games. 

Colorado School of Mines has a tradition called the M climb during orientation week.  Each student carries a ten pound rock up Mt. Zion.  They place their rock on the “M” logo and paint the “M” using whitewash. At graduation, students return to take a rock from the M as a keepsake of their time at Mines.

If you look to the upper right hand corner of this photo, above the statue called The Ancestor by Bill Starke, you’ll see the M located on Mt. Zion. 

College campuses are not only vibrant and exciting, but they are also steeped in rich traditions and history. From quirky customs to unique landmarks, these institutions offer experiences that can be truly unforgettable. Whether you’re a prospective student or simply curious, exploring the special details of a college can bring its campus to life in ways no brochure or website ever could.

Want to share something about a school you attended or visited? Share it in the comment section below.

Joanne Clary Apesos is the owner of College Pursuits, a college counseling business. She has advised high school students and their families in planning their college experience for many years and has presented HEF workshops for students and parents about the college selection process. Prior to assisting high school students she worked in higher education for 20+ years as an admissions counselor, adjunct faculty and director of student activities at both public and private colleges and universities in the Northeast. She holds a master’s degree in Higher Education from Columbia University and completed UCLA’s College Counseling Certificate Program. She is also a recipient of the State University of New York (SUNY) Chancellor’s Award and selected Holliston’s Citizen of the Year in 2011. She can be reached at joanneapesos@gmail.com.