Whether you have just been accepted to Indiana State University, are in your final year, or even if you graduated 45 long years ago, there are certain phrases that we Sycamores are just so tired of hearing.
1. "Have you met Larry Bird?!"
Larry Bird put Indiana State on the map by carrying the 1979 basketball team to the championship game. After a successful run at Indiana State, Bird then went on to play for the Boston Celtics. He is the the current president of the Indiana Pacers organization. While he does not return to Indiana State regularly, his impact on the campus and the Terre Haute community does not go unnoticed.
2. Comments about the sewer smell
Terre Haute no longer has the distinct sewer smell that once plagued the city. The sewage plant in West Terre Haute fixed the waste treatment plant smell years ago. Since then, the smell has gone away.
3. "Your mascot is a tree."
Our mascot is Sycamore Sam, a woodland creature. And a cute one at that.
4. Train horns
Every 15-30 minutes, students can hear a distinct sound, a sound that has kept them up at night, a sound that shakes windows, a sound that we have come to tune out: the train horn. Terre Haute is the crossroads of America with freight trains coming through what seems like every few minutes. Hey, at least being railroaded is a perfectly acceptable reason to be late to class.
5. "I Screwed Up."
Indiana State University is known throughout Terre Haute high schools as “I Screwed Up.” The school was recently ranked number 30 of “America’s Best Colleges,” beating out both Duke and Yale. The university also has accredited colleges including the Scott College of Business, the College of Arts and Sciences, Bayh College of Education, the College of Health and Human Services, and the College of Technology. Going to State hardly means you screwed up.
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While Indiana State students are tired of hearing the phrases and noises above, we could not be more proud to be attending a fantastic college and enjoying the best four years of our lives. The university has wonderful traditions and honors such as the annual Trike and Tandem Race, Homecoming Parade, Spring Week, and being Number One in Community Service. Whether you chose State to stay close to home, received a scholarship, or maybe the campus just felt right to you, you’re proudly yelling, “Go Trees!”
