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25 Questions For The University Of Illinois

Walks a few miles because it's easier than figuring out the bus system.

Sydney Wright

Jun 29, 2020

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

458

25 Questions For The University Of Illinois

@illinois1867

I'm a proud Illini who recently completed her first year of college. In my time (when I actually lived on campus before COVID-19 took over), I discovered many quirks about campus life. From the first-semester days of regularly getting lost on campus to the traditions and interesting campus artwork, I've composed a list of wonders about the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign below.

1. First of all, why is the bus system so confusing?

Sydney Wright

I have three different apps to help me navigate the Champaign-Urbana MTD system, and to this day, I only trust the teal and silver lines.

2.Why do so many of the statues on campus look sad?

@illinois1867

3. Why are there stairways that go nowhere in the Armory?

@illinois1867

If I had a dollar for the amount of times I've been lost in this building, I wouldn't have any student loans.

4. What's with the modern art on the engineering side of campus?

@illinois1867

C'mon, us liberal art majors would appreciate some interpretive statues on our side of campus.

5. Why is everyone obsessed with squirrels?

gray animal on grassPhoto by Chelsey Faucher on Unsplash

How much money is the squirrel watching club being funded? Because I'm on the board of our archery club...and we'd like some more funding, please.

6. Is the south bell tower haunted?

Sydney Wright

It plays some pretty rad chimes, but at night that thing gives me the creeps.

7. Why can't I always hear the tornado test sirens?

Giphy

Luckily, we haven't had a real tornado in my time there...but it's slightly concerning that I can only hear the sirens from my dorm if the window is open.

8. Who decided orange and blue go together?

Sydney Wright

I love you, Illinois. But orange and blue do not match. I'll still proudly wear them for you, though.

9. How many couples who kissed beneath the Eternal Flame are now married?

@illinois1867

What if we were to let our love "burn" forever by kissing beneath the eternal flame? JK. Unless...

10. How many people have rubbed Lincoln's nose for good luck in Lincoln hall?

@illinois1867

A pre-pandemic ritual of luck before an exam.

11. Why Urbana-Champaign and not Champaign-Urbana?

Sydney Wright

Everything in the town says "Champaign-Urbana", yet the school is "Urbana-Champaign".

12. What really happened in the English building?

@illinois1867

There's a rumor that the English building was once a women's dormitory with a swimming pool. Supposedly, a woman drowned and her ghost still haunts the building today. I suppose the aspiring writers and lovers of literature don't mind her presence.

13. Why don't the Marching Illini get more hype?

Sydney Wright

Coming from outside of the Midwest, I didn't realize what a big deal marching band is at many schools. The Marching Illini's performance was probably my favorite part of the football game I attended (sorry sports lovers).

14. Who chooses the songs for the Altgeld bell tower?

Sydney Wright

An older student told me you can actually learn how to operate the bells inside Altgeld. How do I sign up for this?

15. How is it that there are over 40,000 students on campus, and I still constantly run into people I know?

Giphy

That Disney ride was right...it's a small world after all.

16. Who started breakfast at midnight?

Giphy

Breakfast at midnight is a tradition in the dining halls at the beginning of finals week. This is absolutely genius and whoever came up with this deserves praise.

17. Is the guy who rides his bike backwards on campus okay?

Giphy

18. Would you really get expelled if you stepped foot on the Morrow Plots?

Sydney Wright

19. Why do the dining halls operate at weird hours?

Giphy

Sorry, but 4:45 p.m. is a little early to start dinner.

20. Why isn't corn our mascot?

yellow and green cornsPhoto by Phoenix Han on Unsplash

21. Where does Champaign end and Urbana begin?

Giphy

22. Why is there a boba tea shop on every corner?

two clear glass jars with strawsPhoto by Rosalind Chang on Unsplash

Not complaining.

23. What's it like staying in the Illini Union Hotel?

@illinois1867

Still blows my mind that our student center has a hotel.

24. Is the cemetery on the south side of campus mostly alumni?

Sydney Wright

I've always been curious about this, and paid a visit to the cemetery when I went back to move out of my dorm. Some of the graves there were over a century old!

25. And finally...what's happening with class schedules and COVID regulations this Fall?

Giphy

These massmails are confusing me, Chancellor Jones.

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25 Questions For The University Of Illinois

*Walks a few miles because it's easier than figuring out the bus system.*

1. First of all, why is the bus system so confusing?

2.Why do so many of the statues on campus look sad?

3. Why are there stairways that go nowhere in the Armory?

4. What's with the modern art on the engineering side of campus?

5. Why is everyone obsessed with squirrels?

6. Is the south bell tower haunted?

7. Why can't I always hear the tornado test sirens?

8. Who decided orange and blue go together?

9. How many couples who kissed beneath the Eternal Flame are now married?

10. How many people have rubbed Lincoln's nose for good luck in Lincoln hall?

11. Why Urbana-Champaign and not Champaign-Urbana?

12. What really happened in the English building?

13. Why don't the Marching Illini get more hype?

14. Who chooses the songs for the Altgeld bell tower?

15. How is it that there are over 40,000 students on campus, and I still constantly run into people I know?

16. Who started breakfast at midnight?

17. Is the guy who rides his bike backwards on campus okay?

18. Would you really get expelled if you stepped foot on the Morrow Plots?

19. Why do the dining halls operate at weird hours?

20. Why isn't corn our mascot?

21. Where does Champaign end and Urbana begin?

22. Why is there a boba tea shop on every corner?

23. What's it like staying in the Illini Union Hotel?

24. Is the cemetery on the south side of campus mostly alumni?

25. And finally...what's happening with class schedules and COVID regulations this Fall?

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There have been many lessons learned.

1. The importance of traditions.

2. How to be thankful for family and friends.

3. How to give back.

4. What the word "community" really means.

5. That it isn't about the destination, but the journey.

6. The consequences of making bad choices.

7. To trust people, until you have a reason not to.

8. To be welcoming and accepting of everyone.

9. How to be my own, individual person.

10. How to work for what I want.

11. How to be great at giving directions.

12. How to be humble.

13. To be well-rounded.

14. How to be great at conflict resolution.

15. The beauty of getting outside and exploring.

16. To be prepared for anything.

17. That you don't always have to do it alone.

18. How to be creative.

19. To brush off gossip.

I have never been so thankful to know you.

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

Don't freak out

Email the professor

Attend the first class

Keep attending class

Have a backup plan

Remember that everything works out at the end

It's mandatory to have these conversations.

1. What do you do for a living?

2. What's your favorite color?

3. Do you have any siblings?

4. What's your favorite television show?

5. When is your birthday?

6. What's your biggest goal in life?

7. If you had three wishes granted to you by a genie, what would they be?

8. What's your favorite childhood memory?

9. If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be?

10. Are you a cat or a dog person?

11. Do you believe in a religion or any sort of spiritual power?

12. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be?

13. What is your ideal date night?

14. Who was/is your celebrity crush?

15. What's a good way to cheer you up if you're having a bad day?

16. Do you have any tattoos?

17. Can you describe yourself in three words?

18. What makes you the most nervous in life?

19. What's the best gift you have ever received?

20. What do you do to relax/have fun?

21. What are your priorities at this phase of your life?

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

Walks a few miles because it's easier than figuring out the bus system.

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