Festivus, Luminaries, and Bricks. To any outside person, these terms are either made up or meaningless, but to the students of Elon University, they mean one thing: tradition. Though I’m sure many traditions have come and gone throughout the years, these come to mind when planning every year’s experiences at Elon.
#1) The Acorn and Sapling. It begins the very first day during Orientation. Students are each given an acorn to represent the beginning of their college careers. Symbolically, as the students grow and change throughout the four years, they become a sapling from the acorn. At graduation, each student is given a sapling.
#2) College Coffee. Every Tuesday morning forty minutes are free from classes in order to get together with professors and other students for some delicious bagels and coffee. This tradition creates a casual atmosphere for the students and professors outside of class and if you’re lucky, there are donuts!
#3) Luminaries. Every winter before break, Elon becomes even more beautiful thanks to the work of many student volunteers. The brick walkways are all lined with luminaries for one night and the large evergreens are decorated for the holidays. Carols are sung and hot chocolate is served, making this tradition a truly beloved one, as long as you have gloves!
#4) Stealing Bricks. It is a tradition amongst the students of Elon to steal a brick at some point before graduation. What makes this tradition even more intriguing is that the brick will most likely be secretly replaced within hours of the first one being misplaced.
#5) Festivus. Possibly the most interesting tradition at Elon, is this big event in the Spring. Festivus is a giant puddle of mud and friends that is based off of the term “Festivus for the Rest of Us.” Despite the filth and injuries that inevitably come along with Festivus, it is by far my personal favorite of the Elon traditions.