How do I make friends?
This is a strong question! There are SO many different ways that you can make friends on campus. The first thing I would suggest is to find clubs or intramural sports teams that you are interested in! There are multiple ways to find these groups, but the active clubs will be on the new My Campus Community app, and should post their events there. Attend one of these! Additionally, if you did not manage to get access to any individual club announcement GroupMes during expo, you can always ask those who you know are in the club! Most people are excited when they know someone wants to join their interest group. I was so excited when a stranger asked me if I could add them to our pre-law society letter list back when I was in college.
As for sports teams, there will be announcements about intramurals going out at various times throughout the semester. These intramural sports are easy to join, and are great ways to make new friends with people. There are a few other, more specific suggestions I have. The Teddy Talks that occur every Monday at 8 pm in Crounse 302 are a wonderful way to meet new people while learning interesting and important tips about how to succeed while at Centre.
Regardless of the method you use, it is always worth it to spend the time and the effort to make friends here. Without my friend at Centre, I never would have been able to pass the bar and become the president you know today.
What is the best Centre tradition?
There are 4 classic Centre traditions, one for each of the statues at this school and one for the seal. The story goes that if you step on the seal before graduation, then you will fail an exam and have a rough rest of the semester. The only way to get rid of this bad luck is to kiss the seal at midnight; otherwise, who knows what might happen? I once heard about a student who stepped on the seal and immediately failed their organic exam THAT very day.
The second tradition is to put pennies on my foot. A penny on the day of your exam guarantees a higher grade than you would otherwise get. In a similar vein, putting a penny on the foot of Harlan statue, my nemesis in front of Sutcliffe, will guarantee that an enemy will get one grade lower on an exam. I have heard it told by the Flame that Harlan will ensure that they cannot focus while studying. Whenever I ask him about why he does this, he goes on long rants about the other 7 justices during his tenure. Not a good conversation partner.
Finally, the most revered tradition on Centre’s campus is running the Flame. To run the Flame is to become one with Centre College. Students strip completely naked in the entryways of a dorm building, then they run from the building and go in 3 circles around the beautiful Flame statue before returning to their abandoned piles of clothes.
As for the best of these traditions? Easily the Flame run. Centre College would not be the place it is without this experience that allows you to bond to the campus like no other. If you haven’t run the Flame, then you truly aren’t a Centre student. I personally have run the Flame 4 times, both physically and spiritually.
Thanks for joining us for Ask Abe! If you have any questions you want answered about life on Centre, or about my personal life, DM the Cento on Instagram (@thecento.centre) or email us at thecento.centre@gmail.com.