Traditions are a big thing here at James Madison University. We have so many! Take a look at some that you've probably heard of already and put them on your bucket list. For all you freshmen, take a look into the wonderful traditions of James Madison University that you cannot miss before you graduate.
1. Underground Quad Tunnels.
Once in a while, the doors behind Harrison Hall will open to the mysterious underground quad tunnels. Students gather to leave their mark on Madison. It's a bit creepy, but also super cool.
2. JMU Campus Crawl
One of the famous senior year traditions. Students get together before they leave JMU to do a campus crawl. You go to your most memorable places and take a drink (or a shot) to remember, or maybe forget them. Some of the most popular places are freshman dorms, your main academic building (aka HBS, Showker, etc.), one of your favorite libraries (whether you're team carrier or team ECL), and many other memorable places, like Burruss Fountain or Dog Pound, around campus. Oh, and don't forget to dress up J-Maddy while you're at it.
3. Steal a quad brick.
Although this tends to be a freshman tradition at JMU (for some reason), it is a tradition to steal a brick from the quad and keep it for memories. We have to get something out of the part of tuition where we pay a fraction of stolen items, right?
4. Throw your streamers at a football game.
This is one of the key moments at JMU that make you want to stay there and call it your home. After a kickass tailgate, you go see your favorite team score touchdown after touchdown and the crowd and the air are flooded with purple and gold streamers everywhere. There's just something about it. Did I hear something about Game Day coming back too?
5. Go to Forest (at least once).
Known for its thirsty Thursdays; Forest is surrounded by drunk frat boys and girls that mostly consist of freshmen. There are holes in the walls of the houses and jungle juice stains on the white walls everywhere. Some may not call it a tradition, but if you're at JMU, you've been to Forest or at least heard of it.
6. Grilled Cheese/Chicken Nugget Thursdays.
Thursdays are for the nugs (and grilled cheese). Although I will forever love Buffalo mash, there is a tradition to get nuggets and grilled cheese from your favorite dining halls. There are only a few food items I can remember from dining halls, and the main one is grilled cheese and tomato soup.
7. Try the peanut butter pies.
Speaking of famous dining food specialties, have you tried the peanut butter pies? If you haven't, that's just a shame. They're so irresistible that these will even attract peanut butter haters. There's been a recipe posted by JMU because of how much we love it.
8. E-Hall Brunch.
After getting home at 2 a.m. the night before, your headache starts to kick in and you need food, but cannot seem to move. Finally, it's 11 a.m., and your roommate drags you out of the house to go get some brunch. Once you get to E-Hall, you do not regret it at all. There's make your own omelets, biscuits and gravy, and even some burgers and fries if you're into that.
9. Pet the quad cats (and puppies).
Everyone knows and loves the quad cats that hang outside Burrus Hall, but you can usually spot some puppies on the quad on a warm, sunny day. What's better than destressing from a test by petting some animals?
10. Streak the quad.
Now, I've heard that not everyone does this. However, if you do, be smart about it and do it at 3 a.m. Enough said.
11. Kissing rock.
Ah, the kissing rock. If you kiss on the big rock on the quad, it has said to be true, that you and the person you kissed will get married. Now there have been many proposals on that rock (aw, go, Dukes).
12. Crack rock.
Then, there's the opposite, trashy rock. We are said to have a giant crack rock on east campus. I don't get it either, but hey, how many people can say they have a giant crack rock on their campus?
