Everyone’s familiar with singing “Sweet Caroline,” walking over the old Forbes Field home plate in Posvar and getting a pair of horns at Peter’s Pub for your 21st birthday. This week, we thought we’d use the Top 10 to take a look at some lesser-known — or at least less discussed — Pitt traditions.
- Getting stranded in a random neighborhood because you’re too socially anxious to ask the Port Authority bus driver for help
In our first year, we could never remember the difference between Forbes and Fifth and the outbound/inbound thing. To this day, we sometimes just get on at a random side of the street and hope we find our way back to Oakland. It works about 50 percent of the time.
- Having to spend one entire week wearing the Roc the Panther suit
It’s a lottery system, but when your 2P number comes up you better be ready. And we mean an entire week — sleeping, showering, you name it. Roc has sensitive fur so you’re going to want to spring for the expensive shampoo. You should also start practicing your backflips. Becoming Roc is great exercise, but a hassle during job interviews.
- Staying indoors when the fire alarm goes off in January
In high school — back when it would get us out of class for a few minutes — we exited in a calm and orderly fashion. But now professors don’t even stop teaching. Everyone knows the only fires on campus happen in the microwaves of Towers dorm rooms.
- Breaking into an anti-Penn State chant literally whenever
It doesn’t make much sense, but historically, this has happened everywhere from Market Central to Sorrento’s. And it was the only thing that could drown out the sound of Rae Sremmurd at Fall Fest.
- Putting on swimsuits and heading to Schenley Plaza any time the weather breaks 60 degrees before April
We don’t do this much, because we’re more indoor people. But everyone else seems to like it.
- Eating an entire Antoon’s pizza
You know, we’ve all done this one multiple times, and you’d think we’d regret it in the morning. But we never do.
- Making it all the way to the last semester of your senior year before realizing that Pitt has a shuttle tracker
We’ve been catching the 10A blind for three years. But last week, we overheard some first-years talking about when the bus was coming. Now we know how to play the game — and win.
- Telling your RA that you’ll follow in their footsteps and keep on the straight and narrow — then not following through
Half of us have been there.
- Telling your RA that you’ll follow in their footsteps and keep on the straight and narrow — then stealing their identity
The other half of us have been there.
- Summoning the ancient Pitt sports gods to imbue our hallowed University with the spirit of ancestral victory
Why else would we sing a phrase as crazy as “alleghenee, genac, genac, genac” in our “Hail to Pitt” fight song? Why else would we hail to Pitt? Next time someone asks what it means, you’ll know what to tell them. We’re pretty sure it’s Latin or something.