Fun Facts
A school can only be as unique as its students. Some stand out from the rest because of innovative new activities, while others can dive deep into a history of quirky traditions. Discover some interesting, fun facts about colleges and universities across the United States, Canada, and Europe.
That’s Nutty
There’s a 400 person Squirrel Club at The University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI). Read More
Ribbit!
Kermit the Frog was a commencement speaker for Southampton College (now Stony Brook University, Shinnecock Hills, NY) 1996 stating, “On behalf of frogs, fish, pigs, bears and all of the other species who are lower than you on the food chain, thank you for dedicating your lives to saving our world and our home.”
Skull and Bones
In 1832, Yale (New Haven, CT) students founded one of America's most famous secret societies: Skull and Bones. Presidents William Howard Taft, George H. W. Bush, and George W. Bush, as well as Secretary of State and Senator John F. Kerry are some of the club’s most well-known alumni.
Unusual Mascots
Evergreen State College (Olympia, WA)
Speedy the Geoduck (an enormous clam)
UC Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz, CA)
Sammy the Banana Slug
Dartmouth College (Hanover, NH)
Keggy the Keg (a human-sized keg of beer)
Rhode Island School of Design (Providence, RI)
Scrotie (a penis/scrotum combination)
Oberlin First
Oberlin College (Oberlin, OH) was the first college to grant women degrees (1841) and was also the first college to grant a bachelor’s degree to an African-American woman (1862).
Fake ID?
At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, MA, students can apply for a “Pirate License” by qualifying in archery, fencing, sailing, and pistol classes.
Studying Eight Days a Week?
Liverpool Hope University (Liverpool, England) awards an MA in “The Beatles, Popular Music & Society.”
IQ-U?
The average person uses 10% of their brain! But McMaster University (Hamilton, Canada) owns 14 pieces of Albert Einstein’s brain, amounting to 20%. Smart school.
Inflationary Tuition?
In 1804, tuition at Brown University (Providence, RI) was only $5. Only back then, it was called “The College of Rhode Island.”
The Freshman 15?
Actually, it’s more like the Freshman two to three. According to The Ohio State University, they also gain the same amount as their non-college attending peers in the same age group.
Google-icious!
There’s a $30,000 Doodle 4 Google Scholarship competition that is selected by submitting a doodle of the Google logo. #GoogleDoodles
Jurassic PA-rk
Each year, Swarthmore College (Swarthmore, PA) hosts its annual Pterodactyl Hunt. Sponsored by Psi Phi, the campus’ science fiction club, students act as hunters or monsters and don white or black garbage bags as armor.
Donut Run!
Each February, students at North Carolina State University (Raleigh, NC) take part in The Krispy Kreme Challenge. Each student must run five miles to and from the local Krispy Kreme dressed in costume and eat a dozen donuts in an hour or less. All proceeds from this charitable event support the North Carolina Children’s Hospital. It’s a sweet gesture. Read More
Shoe Tree?
At Murray State University (Murray, KY), couples return to their alma mater for good luck by nailing a pair of mismatched shoes to The Shoe Tree, located a few feet from Pogue Library. The first Shoe Tree burned to the ground after being struck by lightning due to the nails. Read More
No Anvils Available?
Since 1972, MIT (Cambridge, MA) has held the Baker House Piano Drop where it drops a broken piano off the top of the dorm. It’s now coordinated with the date for course “drop day” as well! Read More
The Final Frontier
At Santa Clara University (Santa Clara, CA), The Physics of Star Trek delves deeply into the science of the transporter, the theoretical basis for time travel, and undoubtedly the utility of phasers. Read More
Colleges Use Sorting Hats?
At Central Michigan University (Mount Pleasant, MI), there’s a class called, “To Hogwarts, Harry: An Intensive Study of Harry Potter Through the British Isles.” This immersive two week study-abroad program is reserved for honors English students only. Meet at King’s Cross Station Platform 9 3/4 on day one! Read More
A Total Bore?
“Wasting Time on the Internet” at the University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA) is offered for three hours on Wednesdays. In addition to using your time on search engines and social media, students consider works by thinkers like Betty Friedan, Erving Goffman, and John Cage. The concepts of boredom and time-wasting are much more than reality, apparently, they’re also philosophy. Read More
Politicizing Beyonce
At Rutgers University (New Brunswick, NJ), their “Featured Program” of the same name explores whether “Beyonce’s music [can] be seen as a blueprint for progressive social change.” It deals with much more than destiny, child.
Rotten Tomatoes
The Bad Movie Club’s 200 members at Bradley University (Peoria, IL) invites students to pick out and screen critically panned films including classics from the Sharknado series and Attack of the Killer Tomatoes. Read More
What’s on Tap?
The Wellesley on Tap club at Wellesley College (Wellesley, MA) is less concerned with beer and more interested in tap dance. While The Troupies have little-to-no experience, The Troupe is for advanced tappers. Read More
