Everyone’s college has that one thing that you’re known for, whether it be known by the public or just on campus. Murray State University has their shoe tree, Brown University had a giant blue teddy bear statue with a lampshade up until two years ago, etc. So what about Bradley University? Oddly enough, Bradley is known amongst the students and staff for the squirrels you find on campus.
I know exactly how that sounds, and yes, it is very weird and unheard of. Sure, some colleges have recently been talking about aggressive geese that like to attack students, but you don’t really hear about squirrels on campus. However, it has quickly become a staple of those who attend the school. In fact, they’re so popular that an entire Instagram page was created to help show off the squirrels around campus. I took the time and messaged with this page (@squirrelsofbradley), and asked them a few questions:
Q: What inspired the Bradley Squirrels page?
A: 17 years ago before Westlake was remodeled, I had a basement office. The windows were at ground level, and a squirrel would run up and down the fire escape outside my window. I was curious about what she was doing, and discovered she had a nest behind a downspout. I named her Juliette, and fed her peanuts. Juliette recognized me, which was sometimes quite disruptive when I was teaching and she’d climb around the window screens. Aside from Juliette, I just find the squirrels on campus to be quite friendly (okay, food-driven), and they are fun to watch.
Q: Why do you think the squirrels on campus are so popular among Bradley students?
A: They are cute, and maybe some students miss their pets, or can’t have one on campus so the squirrels benefit!
Q: What is your favorite thing about the squirrels?
A: One of my favorite things about the squirrels is how they bury acorns in the fall: they finish up with little pats with their front feet.
The squirrels have quickly become a staple, as seen with the Instagram page for them, and a lot of students are absolutely fascinated by them. One of the first things I personally learned about the squirrels was how they were almost domesticated. They live fearless lives and are almost completely unbothered when you walk up to them. It’s genuinely intimating how close you can actually get to them before they even consider reacting. Where I live, squirrels are naturally very paranoid and begin to panic and leave when they even begin to register that you’re there. The squirrels here will allow you to go up to them and freely feed them, as noted by the Instagram page.
Another funny part of having semi-domesticated wild squirrels all over campus is how casually aggressive they can be. There have been more times than I would like to admit where I was walking, either alone or with friends, and there was a squirrel that was relatively close to us and then would taunt us by getting closer. I always like to joke when that happens that the squirrels are just getting ready to fight us. Since they’re so used to people, however, they will just naturally get closer than regular squirrels, which is confusing when you’re used to regular squirrels that fear people.
Overall, the squirrels are such a small thing that is only ever discussed by those who attend Bradley and are frequently on the campus. They’ve become an absolute staple of the school, and it is equal parts funny and terrifying. Also, a huge shoutout to the Bradley Squirrels Instagram page for being so open and willing to answer a few questions about the squirrels on Bradley. If you’re curious about what they’re like, I highly recommend checking out the page and looking through the pictures and videos on the page!