Congratulations, Boilermakers. You're about to begin one of the best journeys of your life. On your STAR day, you take a little tour of campus and get to know the basics. You sit in Pappy's Sweet Shop drinking a milkshake, having no idea what's in store for you. Your first year will be more than you can imagine, so why not try to make it fun? Here are 13 things every incoming Boilermaker needs to know.
1. The Lion's Head Fountain Rumors
The Lion's Head Fountain is a beautifully sculpted fountain you probably got shown to on your tour, but they probably didn't mention the rumors on your tour. Rumor has it, if you're a virgin and you walk by the fountain, it'll roar. Another rumor is if you're drinking from it on one side while someone is drinking from it on the other, then you're actually soul mates. Of course, these are just rumors.
2. Fountain Runs
This is something they probably told you on your tour, and it's true - they are fun. Put on your swimsuit or some dirty clothes that need to be washed and run through the Engineering Fountain, Loeb Fountain, (maybe Scum Pond if you don't mind scum), the John Purdue Fountain, and take a drink from the Lion's Head Fountain. If you don't like running, then you can still have fun walking.
3. Our Marching Band is Awesome
In the fall semester they march from Elliott Hall of Music all the way to Hull Field Monday through Friday, and after two hours of rehearsal they march back. With that much time and dedication, it's no surprise the band puts on amazing halftime shows, so be sure not to leave during halftime (these days it's the best part of the game!) and stay tuned for whatever the band puts on!
4. Den Pops
Maybe you heard about this on your tour, maybe you didn't, but either way be sure to walk down to Chauncey and stop in at the Den. At the back of the shop there are lots of Den Pops and their ingridients on the wall, and when you're totally twenty-one be sure to try out a fun pop!
5. The Clapping Circles
Now this is something you definitely experienced on your tour. You clap in the middle and there's a little squeaking noise. It's cool, but in general the clapping circles are a great places to relax and hang out. On your tour they might say you have class in the clapping circles a lot, but that's not common. I had class in the clapping circles once and it was a poetry class. Someone put up a hammock, and a lot of people took pictures of us because of how cliche the scene was. So, if you want class out there, take a poetry class.
6. We're More than Just the Cradle of Quarterbacks
Sure, we have had a lot of great quarterbacks come through Purdue, but we've had a lot more amazing alumni too. Of course there's Neil Armstrong, Amelia Earhart, Orville Redenbacher, but did you know Games Slayter is a Purdue alum, the man who invented fiberglass? Or what about the countless CEO's that have graced Purdue's campus? Not only that, but the man who invented the chicken nugget got his doctorate at Purdue? There's much more to Purdue alumni than just quarterbacks.
7. The Mystery of John Purdue's Body
This is another rumor that gets spread around not as commonly as the Lion's Head Fountain's rumors. Basically, rumor has it that John Purdue actually isn't buried by University Hall. This rumor exists because apparently, way back when, students would dig up his literal body and take him to football games. One rumor is IU students would do this. Another rumor is Boilermakers would do this. Either way, this is one messed up rumor.
8. The Jedi Council Room
Once again, you probably learned about this on your tour. If not, basically there's a room in Beering on the top floor that looks similar to a Jedi Council room. It's pretty cool, and it's actually available to go into most days. There's a great view of campus and sometimes you can take a nice study break.
9. The Murals in Purdue Memorial Union Sub-basement
If you go into the sub-basement of Purdue, one floor below where all the restaurants are, then you'll come across some dark, low-key sketchy hallways. Trust me, they aren't as creepy as they look. It's just a bunch of maintenance rooms, soda machine rooms for the restaurants, and storage. Anyway, if you go farther into the back then you'll start to see these murals on the wall of John Purdue, Orville Redenbacher, and Amelia Earhart. Watch out for Orville's eyes though!
10. The Hello Walk
Okay, we all know about the Hello Walk. And yes, people actually do say hello on it so we expect you incoming freshmen to say hello to everyone you pass. It's a Purdue sin if you don't.
11. Purdue Railroad Club
12. The Boilermaker Special
Purdue Pete is not our main mascot, he's only the mascot for Purdue Athletics. Why? Because our mascot is a train and we can't drive that onto the football field, basketball court, volleyball court, etc. If there's a battle of the mascots - the Boilermaker Special would win. We're a train. Trains can easily run over other mascots.
13. "Boilermakers."
We could've been called many things. We could've been the Blacksmiths, the Coal Heavers, the Haymakers, the Cornfield Splitters - but no. We chose Boilermakers. Why? In 1891, Purdue crushed Wabash College, and a local paper headlined with "Slaughter of Innocents: Wabash Snowed Completely Under by the Burly Boiler Makers from Purdue." This local newspaper called us many names, all as insults, because the football players for Purdue back then really were "burly," coming from homes of hard labor. The local paper couldn't get over the loss, and out of all the names they called us, we took the Boilermakers and made it as our own, and now it means something completely different. Something completely amazing.
Do you have any other fun things from Purdue you think every Boilermaker should know? Feel free to mention some in the comments below!
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