***Note: the order of weirdest campus traditions belongs to the author's opinion. Other Taylor students might believe certain items should enter/exit this list or be situated in a different spot. Fair.***
How does a tiny school of 2,000 students in the middle of a cornfield in the Indiana wilderness receive national news coverage every December?
Simple: our traditions.
From mild to melons, this short list of our numerous customs might just out-school your school when it comes to the weird factor:
10. Broho
(Photo: Luke Wildman )
This floor of men found in the Sammy Morris Hall deserves their own category.
From smashing potatoes on innocent bystanders tables on Monday to stealing hamburgers from our Dining Commons conveyor belt, one does not know how to react to this floor. Whether one perceives them as humorous or irritating, one always has a strong response to the brotherhood.
9. Mosaic Night/Nostalgia Night/My Gen
Three amazing concerts you won't find this combination at any other college.
Mosaic Night: This concert features music and dances from various languages and cultures. By far my favorite out of these three.
Nostalgia Night: Students perform songs from before the seniors were born (before 1994 as of this year)
My Gen: Opposite of Nostalgia, students sing and play hits made after 1994.
8. Wing Mascots
Certain housing areas on campus have an inanimate object represent their wing or floor. Here is a list of a few.
Second South English: Sandy
The pride and joy of my wing. Our little green dog has only been stolen about four times from us since we found her in a thrift store last year.
Sammy 2: Bunny
As my fellow Odyssey writer describes it: "A disgusting bear thing on a chain. Whichever guy spends more time with girls than with Sammy 2 gets the bunny." Lovely.
Penthouse: The log (log not pictured. Just imagine a very large log)
According to the men on this floor, it takes roughly 20-some guys to lift this wooden mascot. All attempts to steal it have failed.
Third North English: Gordon
Missing. This poor inflatable man departed from the wing last year. All searches have yielded nothing. Still, the wing holds out hope.
7. Airband
So much better than a lip sync battle! Wings and floors create dances that follow a category. Some themes featured last year included: spies, Mario, "High School Musical," "Hamilton," and Michael Jackson.
(Featured above: last year's "Hamilton" airband. They took 3rd place.)
6. Annual Boxer Run
When the snow arrives, so the boys on Sammy . . . in boxers.
5. Open Houses
These range from lame to outrageous (which earns a nice lukewarm spot on the list). Open Houses at Taylor feature a theme and often are interactive. Here are just some of the open houses which occurred on campus this past semester (by house).
Wengatz
- Open spouse (a random participant in a group was chosen to be the bride of a lucky Wengatz groom)
Sammy
- "Stranger Things" open house
Olson
- Awkward Family Christmas open house
English
- Our annual open house competition (all of the wings compete. This year's theme: Christmas songs)
Gerig
- Rewind open house (featuring TV shows from the 90s and early 2000s)
Breu
- "Finding Nemo" open house
Bergwall
- Iceberg open house (featuring an escape from the Titanic)
4. Pick-a-dates
Glorified group dates. Wings find dates and do activities ranging from archery to broomball.
3. The Awk Walk
This awkward freshman initiation has still left my Editor in Chief (a graduate) in shock. Freshmen from boys and girls dorms walk in a line and answer awkward questions while doing something odd. For example, I have to hold a boy's elbow while replying to the question, "Do I crumple or fold my toilet paper?"
2. Silent Night
The basketball game gains national media attention from millions worldwide. Students pack the gym two hours early in odd costumes. They remain silent until the tenth point. After the team scores double digits, the arena explodes.
1. Melon and Gourd
In my opinion, this is the oddest tradition our school can muster.
Third West Wengatz plays a glorified game of tag . . . with a watermelon and a gourd. During the last day of the event, all the members of the floor dress up in costumes and attempt to evade whoever is "it" (the last person tagged with the watermelon or gourd). Whoever remains with the produce by the end of 10 a.m. that Friday morning (or dropped the melon or gourd during the week) must take a bite from the rotting carcass of the fruit.
