Traditions

From sports to studying, IU is rich in its traditions

By Marissa Hubbard

hubbamar@iu.edu

Founded in 1820, IU’s classes began with an enrollment of 20 men. Today, the school is home to nearly 44,000 students. However, the student population hasn’t been the only thing to grow at IU. Over the years, there has been an increase in school spirit leading to several IU traditions that continue to take place each year.

Given the eff ects of COVID-19, it’s very likely incoming students will not have the same experience with these traditions as students in the past.

Hoosier Hysteria

Th e core of IU is full of age old basketball traditions. In the fall, Hoosier Hysteria introduces many of of these. Th is event takes place at IU’s Assembly Hall and introduces the basketball teams in a series of activities and contests. Th is early semester event also incorporates the songs, spirit and colors of IU — traditions in themselves.

Fight song

Th e IU fi ght song, “Indiana, Our Indiana,” was fi rst performed at an IU football game against Northwestern in 1912 and has been played at IU football and basketball games since. Th e song “Indiana Fight” is also played at IU sporting events and though rarely sung in its entirety, its fi nal chant, “GO IU! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!,” is yelled by nearly all in attendance. Th is song is accompanied by IU’s “fi st and blades.” First, fans raise their hands in an outstreched fi st above their head to make the letter “I,” then they bring their hands down to their shoulders in a blade to make the letter “U” as they shout the letters respectively.

Cream and crimson

All IU events are a chance for students to represent the school colors of cream and crimson. Th e school’s colors didn’t become offi cial until 1899 after having several makeovers since the school’s founding in 1820, as archived in the IU libraries. Th e catchy alliteration of “the cream and crimson” is what made the colors so popular. However, over time it changed to a simpler red and white.

In 2002, a company by the name of Michael-Osborne Design was hired to rebrand the IU design and “crimson it,’ making cream and crimson the offi cial colors once again. IU gear has become the dominant way for students to quite literally show their stripes and school spirit. Th e tradition of the IU candy stripe fashion began with the swimming and diving teams in the 1960s,

Top People pack into Simon Skojdt Assembly Hall for Hoosier Hysteria on Oct. 21, 2017.

Bottom left A mask covers the face of the Herman B Wells statue April 20 on IU’s campus.

Bottom right Riders race down the track April 13, 2019, during the Men’s Little 500 race at Bill Armstrong Stadium.

FILE PHOTO BY EVAN DE STEFANO | IDS

FILE PHOTO BY ALEX DERYN | IDS

FILE PHOTO BY SAM HOUSE | IDS

as noted in the IU libraries. Th is design was used to help coaches spot them in the pool. Later, the candy stripes were added to the basketball team’s warm up pants and continued to spread. Now, the candy stripe staple can be found on lots of IU apparel.

Homecoming

Homecoming typically takes place in midOctober and is marked by a full week of events. Students and alumni gather to celebrate and join in events such as the annual parade and the Nearly Naked Mile, a run through campus to collect clothes for a philanthropic organization. Th e week is then capped off with the Homecoming football game. In 2019, IU snapped an eight-game Homecoming losing streak in a 35-0 win against Rutgers.

Th e Old Oaken Bucket is a tradition established in 1925 to celebrate the rivalry between IU and Purdue, according to the Purdue collections library. Th e Old Oaken Bucket serves as a trophy in observance of Indiana football and is awarded to the winner of the annual game between the two rivals. Not only does the victor get to take home the bucket, but they also get to attach a small bronze letter to a chain on the bucket for their school. Th e fi rst bronze piece

to be attached was the conjoined letters “IP,” still hanging from the bucket’s handle in representation of a tie.Th e bucket holds 74 wins for Purdue, 42 for IU and six ties.

IUDM

Each fall, IU Dance Marathon raises millions of dollars for Riley Hospital for Children. According to the IUDM organization, over $40 million have been raised since its establishment in 1991. An entire weekend is dedicated to this event where thousands of students dance for up to 36 hours in support of Riley kids.

Little 500

One of IU’s most famous sporting traditions is the Little 500, commonly referred to as “Th e World’s Greatest College Weekend.” Th is event is the largest collegiate bike race in the United States and consists of a 50-mile men’s race and a 25-mile women’s race.

Shaking Herman’s hand

IU has academic traditions wishing success upon its students. At the start of each semester and fi nals week, students can be found shaking the hand of the Herman B. Wells statue just east of the Sample Gates. Th is gesture is believed to bring students good luck on exams and in their academic endeavors.

IUDM reveals the fi nal amount of money raised by IU students for Riley Hospital for Children on Nov. 17 at the IU Tennis Center.

FILE PHOTO BY ANNA TIPLICK | IDS

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