Furman University

Although you won't find this tradition on any official school calendar, Beach Weekend is perhaps the most anticipated Furman tradition. Students skip Friday classes one weekend every May and head to the beach. The Greeks usually head to Myrtle Beach where each fraternity takes over a different hotel for the weekend. Most professors work around beach weekend by not scheduling any papers or tests for that Friday.

On the last day of class every spring, seniors bring the beach to Furman. They grab beach toys, rafts, and any other kind of float and go for a swim in the fountain in front of the library.

One night during Orientation Week, the freshman class meets up and embarks on a wild fountain-hopping stampede to each of Furman's expansive fountains. Upperclassmen often bring lawn chairs and watch the underclassmen run soggily from fountain to fountain.

It's a long-standing tradition that everyone gets thrown into the lake on their birthday at least once during their time at Furman. If you somehow escape it freshman year, you will usually get thrown in next time around, even if there's snow on the ground.

During the week before homecoming, sororities, fraternities, and other campus organizations compete in skits, banner decorating, float building, and spirit competitions all centered around a theme like “Superheros” or “One-Hit Wonders.” The floats are built during the Friday night carnival on the mall, and winners are announced at half time of the football game.

Before each kick-off at the football games, students raise their keys in the air and shake them until the ball is kicked. Then they yell “FU!” in unison.

During Orientation Week, the entire freshman class is invited to a barbecue picnic on the lawn of the president's house. Everyone gets to tour the house and meet the Dr. Shi, who is said to never forget a student's name after meeting them the first time.