Where else on campus are students not only allowed,  but encouraged to graffiti and paint any message or opinion they have without having charges pressed or getting in trouble?       

On the corner of Volunteer Boulevard and Pat Head Summit Street, a ninety-eight ton rock protrudes from the ground covered in almost 10,000 layers of paint. The Rock has been through many head football and basketball coaches, multiple national tragedies, student body controversies and even the occasional proposal.     

The Rock was established during the early 1960s, during the construction of Fraternity Row on the west side of the University of Tennessee’s campus, according to the University of Tennessee website. On this corner, the Rock found its home. Students began to express their feelings and paint messages on the rock, but University officials tried to monitor the graffiti, and even tried to sandblast paint off to erase students’ drawings. This longstanding tradition would last no matter what.     

The rest is history. Throughout its time, the Rock has seen its fair share of messages and even murals.  One of UT students’ favorite paintings on the Rock was before the 2011 Georgia vs. Tennessee football game. Derek Dooley would be coaching the game against his father, Vince’s, former school and football team.  A student painted the mens' portraits combined into one face with so much detail, you could even see the wrinkles in their smiles.     

Students also take their creativity to a literal level, as well. One student painted a sheet of paper because, “paper covers rock.”  Lane Kiffin, former head UT football coach, and his wife Layla, both had their phone numbers scrawled for every student to see. There have also been a few proposals made using the Rock as a romantic backdrop for popping the question. “Sometimes, on our tours, we make the joke that there have been several proposals there, but the girl always turns it down for a bigger rock,” UT Ambassador and senior, Marcie Alexander, jokes.     

Although UT students know how to make a good joke, and definitely know how to write some smack talk messages to opposing teams, they have also used the Rock as a way to express grief and create a sense of family among the student body in times of tragedy. A few years ago, a fraternity member died during an accident on spring break. The Monday everyone got back to school, the Rock was painted in memory of this student. A few hours later, it had been painted over by a trivial message about a basketball game the following weekend. Students were very upset by the disrespect showed, and took it very seriously by tweeting and posting statuses about the incident on Facebook. Some even went back to repaint the Rock to the message honoring the death of the student.     

Many similar cases have occurred where students use the Rock to express sympathy, or try and reach out for a certain cause. “One of my pledge sisters was diagnosed with leukemia this past spring, so one night we painted the Rock with ‘#AllforAlex.’ It was really cool for the whole sorority to come together and show her we cared,” Alpha Delta Pi sorority member and UT ambassador, Madison Eley remembers.     

Stories like these are the reason people come to the University’s campus looking for this well-known landmark, she says.  They often look in the wrong place, however, because in 2009 with the construction of the new Student Health Center, the Rock had to find a new home. The following summer, all 98 tons of the Rock made the 275-foot move across the intersection. Even with its new location, and ever-changing paintings, the Rock will forever remain a revered Tennessee tradition.