There’s no doubt that Pitt traditions play a role in all of our lives whether we are upperclassmen enjoying another year at Pitt or freshmen just starting to get acquainted with living on campus. Participating in the traditions and customs that have helped form our University are great ways to bond with friends, meet new people, and boost our pride in our school and home. Here are a few of the greatest Pitt traditions that are worth participating in before graduation!
Freshman World Record Attempt
As a part of O-Week, Pitt freshmen come together as a class to attempt to set a world record each year. The types of records attempted are always different: one year, students created an image of the Cathedral with glow sticks, and the next, freshmen danced to the Cupid Shuffle with umbrellas. Whatever the record attempt may include, this is one of the best Pitt traditions because it is one of the first that freshmen get to experience. The world record attempt is an opportunity for Pitt’s freshmen to become a community at the very beginning of their college experience; and is a fun, exciting way to get to know other members of the freshman class.
Lantern Night
Specifically for female students, Lantern Night is a celebration at the beginning of each year. Freshmen students gather in Heinz Chapel to receive a lantern, which is lit by a Pitt alumna. The lighting of the lanterns represents passing on the “light of learning” from former Pitt students to new ones, and is one of the University’s oldest traditions. This beautiful and symbolic ceremony is one that is really meaningful and worth participating in.
Homecoming Football Game and Laser and Fireworks Show
Another fun experience each year is the Homecoming football game, where two Pitt students are crowned Homecoming King and Queen. Besides the game, it’s worth dropping by the Laser and Fireworks Show hosted by Pitt Program Council, which offers awesome music, fireworks, lasers, and photo ops. There’s also a Monte Carlo night held in the Union after the fireworks end, which is a fun place to practice your gambling skills and win some great prizes. There are always tons of students and alumni attending every year, so going to this event will definitely increase your Pitt pride!
Rubbing the Panther’s Nose
So it’s a Wednesday morning and you’re stressed out, knowing you haven’t studied nearly enough for the midterm you have later that day. Rather than trying to cram ten minutes before class starts and memorize every notecard, just follow the example of countless Pitt students before you and rub the Panther’s nose. Legend has it that this good luck charm works every time, and it’s never failed me. This ritual is so well-known and lucky that it was even featured in a Hyundai commercial, so it’s worth the small detour on your way to class.
The Oakland Zoo
No Pitt student has really lived until they’ve watched a basketball game in the Oakland Zoo. Named as one of best student sections in the nation several times, the Zoo is always a blast, no matter who Pitt is playing. Tearing up newspapers, cheering loudly, and holding up signs are just a few of the things that make the Zoo so much fun, and the seats offer great views too. Basketball fan or not, spending a game cheering with the Zoo is one of the best things about being a Pitt student.
Sweet Caroline
When going to a Pitt football game, it’s absolutely necessary to stay until at least the end of the third quarter to sing Sweet Caroline. When else can you wrap your arms around your friends, sway back and forth, and sing at the top of your lungs without looking crazy? Singing the song really energizes the stadium and pulls people’s attention back to the game at a time when the action sometimes seems to have slowed, and is arguably the best part of each game. Hearing the huge crowd chant, “Let’s go Pitt” in unison is so exhilarating and a unifying experience for everyone.
Getting Your Horns at Peters
There’s no bigger rite of passage at Pitt than getting your horns at Peter’s Pub when you turn 21. Not only are the horns symbolic of your three-year fight through college without a legal ID, they’re guaranteed to get you free pizza from passersby on the street. With your horns and newfound freedom, Peter’s shouldn’t be your only stop on your 21st, as there are so many other bars to check out around Oakland as well. GDoor, Hemingway’s, Bootleggers, and Haufbrauhaus are just a few. Your 21st is the one night that you can literally bar crawl. Be sure to make the most of it!
We only get four years at Pitt – years that fly by and will be some of the best of our lives. To make the most of our time here, sometimes it’s necessary to put aside the books and participate in events like these. They’re sure to become some of your best memories of Pitt!