*As identified by Widener class of ’22 experts.
26 PRO TIPS FOR THE CLASS OF ’26 *
1. DO NOT DUCK
7. NEVER, EVER, 13. TAG A MATE. 18. BECOME THE
CANNON
(UNTIL YOU DO.)
If you don’t know your Bingo calls, get on it—or miss out. The line forms three hours early. Prizes include Bose speakers, Xboxes, and widescreen TVs.
You’ll do it once as a first year, but never again until you graduate—at which point you’ll be invited to a party there. Revel in the symmetry.
14. THIS PIECE OF PAPER
WHEN THE EVER, EVER
FIRES. Which happens after every Pride touchdown. The cannon is real. The cannonballs are not. (But you might want to cover your ears.)
WALK UNDER THE DOME.
WILLS AND KATE.
22. PUT THE
STRONG MACY’S AND SILENT TYPE. PARADE Mr. John the Omelet Guy is an egg whisperer with a photographic memory. Describe your perfect omelet once and you’ll never have to do it again.
TO SHAME.
WILL (NOT) 19. EXCITING 8. YOU. THE ICE. SELF DESTRUCT 2. NEVER USE TWO SKINNY IN 30 SECONDS. COLLISIONS METAL BLADES. “RESCHEDULED” THE FRONT (WHAT COULD GO WRONG?) AS AN INTRAMURAL
DOOR OF
KAPELSKI. Never! Insiders know to use the side door only. You’re welcome.
3. SCRUM, MAUL, RUCK, & MULLIGRIBER If you don’t know what we’re talking about, you’re not playing enough rugby on the quad with your friends.
Decorate a golf cart for Homecoming. There is a competition. There are prizes. There is pride on the line.
The Pride Activities Council sponsors trips to the Penn’s Landing ice rink—and tons of other spots around the city.
The study rooms in Wolfgram Library are coveted. A mysterious few know the door code. Become one of them. (This is your mission, if you choose to accept it.)
WITH ENORMOUS MEN? NAH. The rest of us prefer flag football. Less gear. Less pain. But just as much trash talk.
TEAM NAME.
20. GO, FIGHT, WIN, 9. DO NOT PROVOKE 15. DANCE TO THE GROOVE OF A FURRY AND CONQUER
THE GHOSTS. ORANGE BLOB. Stepping on the PMC seal in the Freshman Quad leads to bad luck and inevitable haunting.
Everyone knows it, and now so do you.
10. MEET NORMAN:
4. GAZE SKYWARD PROTECTOR OF WITH NASA’S PARKING SPACES.
Meet the greatest group of mascots in the biz. Name
Team
League
But what IS it?
Swoop
Eagles
NFL
eagle
Franklin
’76ers
NBA
dog
Phang
Union
MLS
blue snake/ yellow mohawk
Gritty
Flyers
NHL
furry orange blob
The Phanatic
Phillies
MLB
green bipedal flightless bird
5. EVERYBODY
Our favorite security guard has keys to all the doors. Behold his mighty aura. Utter his name with respect.
11. EARN A DEGREE
BANH CHUNG IN ADVANCED
TONIGHT! ELEVATOR STUDIES. You won’t need your passport to take a mouth-watering tour of global cuisine. International Education Week celebrates Widener’s international community with film screenings, workshops, contests, and tons of incredible food.
Are you the competitive type? Our toughest course isn’t even in the catalog. Learn to successfully navigate the baffling elevators in University Center and we’ll add a special designation on your transcript. (Not really. But you’d definitely deserve one.)
6. FORM BASELESS 12. GOOD EATS. HUGE & ARBITRARY OPINIONS. Iconic Philly cheesesteak joints, Pat’s and Geno’s sit on opposite corners of 9th Street and Passyunk. Their sandwiches are nearly identical. Their rivalry divides families and spans generations. Neutrality isn’t an option.
DISCOUNTS. Wednesday evenings in nearby Media, the streets close and restaurants move their tables outside. Put on your finest and dine beneath the stars.
FAKE AN INJURY
AND MAYBE
WIN AN OSCAR. One of the best-paying campus jobs is portraying a difficult patient in the nursing simulation lab. Bratty kid with a broken arm? Grouchy geriatric trying to yank out your IV? Meryl Streep has nothing on you.
17. STRUT YOUR MUTT.
FLAUNT YOUR
SCHNOODLE.
Teach your dog to do a backflip, strap it into a unicorn costume, and do whatever else it takes to take home the glory in Widener’s annual poochapalooza (organized by our public relations and event planning students).
It leads to confusion, opponents defaulting, and automatic wins. So go ahead. We’ll wait. (The mic has been dropped.)
THEM ALL! 24. TRY DUCK JERKY, Of course you should learn these and all the other words in our fight song, but if you’re in a hurry, “Go Pride!” pretty much sums it up.
21. LIVE IN THE
GREENHAUS. APPROVAL. MAN OF LEGEND. 16. GET PAID TO LEARN IN THE We hate to brag, but NASA sponsored our observatory. Did we mention that NASA sponsored our observatory?
23. TRY TO TOP THE GENIUS OF
BUNGALOW. Live with people who share your major (nursing or criminal justice, anyone?) or your geeky passion (sustainability 4EVR!) in a living learning community that supercharges your education by making it part of your life.
APFELSTRUDEL,
AND A MUG OF
KOPI LUWAK. In the heart of Center City (just 20 minutes from campus), more than 80 merchants will noisily compete for your dollars and love at Philly’s famous Reading Terminal Market.
25. PITCH A TENT IN THE
PRIDE CAFÉ. It’s the only way to make sure you’ll be there the second Ms. Dot’s legendary, soul-affirming, baked-from-scratch chocolate chip cookies come out of the oven. #noregrets #cookielife
26. RUB THE LION’S NOSE. For years, Widener students have paused on their way across campus to rub the lion’s nose. (His name is Chester, by the way.) They say it brings good luck. Luck is well and good, but you have something even better. Chester, and the rest of the Widener community, already has your back— and always will. As a reminder of the exciting adventure ahead, we’ve sent you a pocket-sized Chester. Go ahead and rub its nose. It’s what you do when you’re part of the Pride.
1.
2. 7.
WELCOME TO
WIDENER! THIS IS YOUR
PRIDE MOMENT.
10.
26.
13. 4.
3. 14.
12.
Photo - M. Fischetti for VISIT PHI / APPROVED FOR EDITORIAL