Hampton is built on tradition. From parties at the waterfront to the chaos of the Hampton Runaround, there are certain experiences every student has to check off before walking across the stage with their degree.
I’m in my third year now, piecing together every big Hampton moment before I graduate early. And honestly? I wouldn’t trade it. Doing Hampton right means finding the balance; the classes and the chaos, the org meetings and the memories.
So whether you’re a freshman just unpacking in Twitchell Hall or a senior on the countdown, here’s the Hampton University bucket list: the traditions that make our time by the sea unforgettable.
1. Freshman Year Waterfront Party
If you didn’t party at the docks your freshman year, you missed a rite of passage. Picture the water, the adrenaline from a New Student Orientation event, an “unofficial DJ” with a speaker they bought off Amazon the week before, and people sprinting back to their dorms before curfew. It’s debatably the best Hampton party you’ll ever attend.
2. The Hampton Runaround
You haven’t earned your degree if you haven’t done a few laps across campus chasing signatures. Financial Aid sends you to Whipple Barn. Whipple sends you to your major department. Your department sends you right back to Financial Aid. It’s chaotic, but it teaches you how to advocate for yourself! Annoying, yes. Iconic, also yes.
3. Fashion Show (or at Least the Tryouts)
Every Hamptonian has a little inner model. The Homecoming Fashion Show is legendary, but even the Freshman Fashion Show gives you the same rush. From the second you step into tryouts, it’s Hampton’s Next Top Model. Even if you never touch the runway, the experience is one for the books. And if you do make it? Strut like your degree depends on it.
4. HU vs. HU Football Game
Hampton vs. Howard is a rivalry that’s bigger than the scoreboard. The bands, the crowd, the chants, the outfits; it’s a movie. Whether you care about football or not, the atmosphere is unmissable. You might not remember the score by the end, but you’ll know who walked away with bragging rights. (Pro tip: the tailgate is the real main event.)
5. Homecoming Tailgate
There are tailgates, and then there’s Hampton’s tailgate. Alumni pull up in class gear, sliding you money “just because.” Vendors are serving food and selling merch. Music is blasting from every corner. You’re dancing with strangers one minute, hugging an alum the next, and grabbing a plate right after. If you don’t leave smelling like ribs and with your voice half-gone, you didn’t really go.
6. Orgs-Giving
Right before Thanksgiving break, every org throws their own Friendsgiving. It’s food, fellowship, and a little flex, because every org swears their mac and cheese clears. You’ll sit shoulder-to-shoulder with your org family, cracking jokes, passing plates, and realizing Hampton gave you more than just a degree.
7. Battle of the Bay Basketball
Norfolk State vs. Hampton is personal. The Convocation Center turns into a movie: the band is locked in, the cheerleaders are battling during timeouts, and the crowd is loud. It’s not just a basketball game, it’s a cultural showdown to really determine who runs the Bay.
8. 100 Days
The countdown to graduation: 100 Days. Even though it’s technically a senior celebration, everybody pops out. It’s for anyone who knows what it feels like to want to celebrate, even if the finish line is still a year away. Whether you’re cheering on your bigs or just daydreaming about when it’ll be your turn, 100 Days is one of those Hampton traditions that makes you stop and appreciate the Hampton experience.
9. Midnight Breakfast
Finals season is exhausting, but Hampton makes it a little sweeter. For one night at midnight, the café doors are open, and the whole campus is in line for pancakes and bacon. The DJ is blasting music, dance teams are battling, people are singing in the food line, everyone is delirious from lack of sleep. It’s silly, chaotic, and so Hampton.
10. Ogden Crossing
Every Hampton student knows the rule: you don’t walk across the grass in front of Ogden until graduation. Ogden Crossing is one of the most sentimental senior traditions; walking across the lawn with your class, in your Hampton gear, with your people by your side. After years of waiting, it hits you–your undergrad chapter is coming to an end.