Purdue Traditions

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           There are several fun Purdue traditions to take part in during your time on campus! One of the most famous examples is a fountain run, which primarily take place in the fall at the beginning of the school year.  Students run through the fountains on campus, including Loeb fountain, Memorial fountain, the lion’s head fountain, and the engineering fountain.  Fountain runs are great ways to cool off in the summer, bond with friends, and prepare yourself for a new year at Purdue!  The lion’s head fountain is one of the stops on the fountain run, but also presents another Purdue tradition in and of itself.  According to legend, drinking from each of the four lions’ heads will grant you good luck on your next exam.
Another important tradition is associated with the bell tower.  Supposedly, if a student stands under the bell tower before they graduate, they will graduate in more than four years.  As such, most Purdue students can be seen walking around the bell tower – but never under it.

Not far away, in the sidewalk, there’s a replica of the train tracks that used to wind through what is now the center of campus.  These are associated with a Purdue tradition called “Crossing the Tracks”, which is done by jumping across the replica train tracks, traditionally before freshman year and after graduation senior year.  Freshman year, students jump from the north side of the tracks to the south, symbolizing their entrance into the Purdue community.  Following their graduation, new alumni jump across the tracks from the south to the north side to signal their departure from Purdue and entry into a world of opportunity.
Finally, there is the Purdue Hello Walk.  This is a stretch of pathway across Memorial Mall where, as stated in the plaques on the ground, pedestrians are encouraged to “smile and say hello to everyone you meet.”
These are just some of the traditions here at Purdue!  These and more are introduced to students during Boiler Gold Rush (BGR), a week-long orientation for freshmen that takes place the week before school starts.

- Cassandra Marie McCormack
WE Link Recruitment Project Committee Member
IE 2019


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