In a melting pot like Stetson’s student body, tradition is everywhere. It gives us a slice of home to cling to while living somewhere unfamiliar, gives us the chance to indulge in things from different cultures (food is a personal favorite), and serves to give us all unique identities. In the best of cases, finding someone with similar traditions signifies to newcomers that they have found their home away from home. Tradition is everything, and it’s something Stetson does well.
Whether it’s taking a leap above while skydiving into your senior year or delving into the waters below for a birthday celebration at Holler Fountain, Hatter tradition is alive and well.
Speaking with the student body revealed a prevailing love for classic Hatter traditions and some that you may not have heard of. The first surprise came from Alyssa Martinez ’24, who spoke about the tradition of seniors skydiving before graduation. It sounds shocking, yet upon researching, skydiving as a “Hatter Perk” was the first Google search result. In a 2014 post on their news site “Stetson Today,” Stetson even acknowledges skydiving as an official part of senior week. While this tradition was one of many things impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, current seniors looking to revitalize the tradition need only head down to Skydive Deland to find out what all the fuss is about.
If heights are not your thing, these other traditions are much more grounded. The tradition of dunking oneself (or being dunked) in Holler Fountain on your birthday is often the first new students hear about. While it may not be everyone’s cup of tea, it definitely seems to be an irreplaceable experience for much of the student body. It’s a simple way to have fun, or prank a friend if you think being dunked is in their definition of a good time. Recommendation: Take care not to get your socks wet.
Wet socks are almost as spooky as some of the stories you will hear when you decide to take part in Stetson’s ghost tours. From the ghost of a lady in white to marooned couples, Stetson’s campus is filled with buildings and sightings, shrouded in mystery. The story of the Hulleys is the most disquieting. The Hulleys were a couple buried in the tower that used to stand between Chaudoin and Deland Hall. Hot Question: why did the (then Protestant) Stetson University choose to ignore the standard of burying people in cemeteries and decide a tower was the best place for the Hulleys to rest in peace? Though we can only guess the answer, the horror of it all was shocking enough to be a highlight of the Haunted History Tour in years past. Like most things in the horror genre, the morbidity of this event makes it one of the most popular traditions among Stetson students. The Haunted History Tour is undeniably a core student experience, so it is highly recommend that you check it out amidst your upcoming Halloween festivities.
Unlike some of the ghost stories you may hear on Stetson’s Haunted History Tour, the story of John B. Stetson is undoubtedly based in reality. The story of John B. is just one of the things covered during Hatter Saturday, an annual tradition of welcoming prospective students to campus for an activity-filled day. Hatter Saturday is a tradition that makes its way into the lives of potential students before they even move onto campus. This was exactly the case for student ambassador, Nico Alonso ‘26, who feels Hatter Saturday not only secured her love for Stetson but also for her job as an ambassador. She explains that as ambassador she, “can pass down the excitement and spirit- for Stetson onto new students and watch them take their first steps into their journey as a Hatter.”
Almost as stressful as taking your first steps into college life is your first finals season. There are plenty of traditions that will save your butt during finals season, Late Night Breakfast is special because it gives you a break from studying. Held by Student Development & Campus Vibrancy, the complimentary breakfast occurs after usual dining hours for the Commons has dished out some goofy themes over the years. The most recent “Out of This World” themed breakfast was decked out with UFO-shaped candies, blow-up aliens, and tons of regalia to commemorate the occasion. Although Late Night Breakfast may not be the most sentimental tradition, it plays its part in being the calm in the eye of finals’ storm. Some might say that the calming effect is more meaningful than the history of the tradition.
Although Stetson tradition has not changed any lives in the way free access to the internet has, it has made the university feel less like the confining four walls of a classroom and more like a place of opportunity where fun can be had. Finding these pauses in the middle of the marathon that is college life, does not have to mean trying out everything. The best traditions can be stumbled upon accidentally. After a group of friends I made in college took a trip to Davenport to celebrate a 21st birthday,created our own tradition. Make your own traditions at Stetson.Former Stetson student, Carmen Cardova, gives the perfect piece of advice. “The simplest traditions make the best memories.”
