It’s no secret; every college around the world has some sort of tradition that its students relish in throughout their college years and even afterwards. Our beloved Longwood University is certainly no different – well, except that our traditions are simply better (there may be some bias in that last statement). During the next four years, you’re going to be able to get the full experience and get to embrace all the traditions that embody being a Longwood Lancer. So here is a quick look at to what to expect:
In case you weren’t aware, Longwood is home to two secret societies: CHI and Princeps. Both societies are shrouded in secrecy. No one knows how one can become a member of either group or who is a member. Nevertheless, both societies play a major part in the traditions of the Longwood community.
CHI was started in 1900, making it the oldest continuous service organization at Longwood. CHI’s main purpose is to promote the spirit of Longwood. As seen in their motto, “Service to the whole, without focusing on the self,” and their main focus is leadership through academics. CHI’s presence can be felt and seen all throughout campus. Their symbol, the blue Rotunda supported by four beams which represents the four phases of student life – social, recreational, intellectual and spiritual, can be seen on the sidewalks of campus. Do not step on them; doing so is symbolic of stepping on the spirit of Longwood. Plus, rumor has it, that stepping on the Rotunda will cause you to graduate a year late.
Another way CHI’s presence is felt is through Longwood’s periodic CHI walks. Keeping with the theme of secrecy, the time and location of the walks are unknown until hours before they occur. There is normally an announcement at D-Hall or at Ruffner Hall in the form of a note posted near a vase of blue flowers, so you have to keep your eyes out for them. During a CHI walk, the members of CHI are completely robed from head to toe in blue and white, slowly walking and chanting their CHI song, while the bystanders remain completely silent out of respect.
You might wonder why watching people clothed in white and blue and chanting would be such a big deal. Well, besides seeing a creepy, yet unique display of school spirit, students attend in the hopes of possibly finding the Holy Grail of the Longwood campus: “CHI droppings.” A CHI dropping can be anything from a large banner to a small toy. Members of CHI will often drop them during the walk but they can be found anywhere, at anytime. You’ll see your fellows Lancers scouring campus for these droppings and then jumping up for joy if they find one. All CHI droppings are marked with either a Rotunda or an “X”. CHI droppings are not to leave campus, so you pass them down when you graduate. Just another way CHI promotes Longwood spirit.
In the spring semester, CHI recognizes students, faculty, and staff at the annual CHI burning. At this special event, a bonfire is lit on Iler Field while CHI gives out special commendations to those who have made exceptional contributions on campus and the community. In addition, senior members of CHI are finally revealed.
As an honorary organization, Princeps’ main purpose is to promote leadership among the Longwood community. Members of this organization are those that embody the true meaning of leadership through their co-curricular activities and academics, but of course remain unknown until their revealing ceremony on graduation day. The symbols of Princeps are a crown with seven points and the number seven, representing the seven key principles of leadership. Seven black crowns can be found on campus sidewalks. Stepping on these can bring you luck. Lancers can be very serious about “crown-hopping,” especially during finals week.
Princeps honors the academic successes of students each semester by mailing out black sevens to those with GPAs of 3.5-3.99 and red sevens to those with a GPA of 4.0. Students, faculty and staff, can also be recognized by receiving wooden sevens. To earn this prize, a student is mailed a letter with a riddle leading them to the office of a faculty or staff member. Upon giving the correct answer, the student is given a large wooden seven to keep until they pass it down before leaving campus or graduating. The faculty or staff member is given a smaller one.
Longwood has two traditions that come in the form of big annual festivities: Oktoberfest and Spring Weekend. Oktoberfest and Spring Weekend are weekend long celebrations filled with great music, great food and creative booths set up by the numerous clubs and organizations on campus. Each year, Mortar Board and Lancer Productions who sponsor Oktoberfest and Spring Weekend, respectively, pick the theme for the events and get musical performers to come to our school. Longwood has hosted several big recording artists like Taylor Swift, The Fray, Gloriana and SoMo during these celebrations.
In the fall semester, Oktoberfest is kicked off with Color Wars, where Lancers are split into two opposing sides. Students who graduate in an odd year belong to the green team and those who graduate in an even year belong to the red team. The two sides collide on Iler Field as they throw red and green paint on each other in an all out war. It’s such a crazy and awesome event that even Longwood University President Taylor Reveley can’t help but join in on the fun.
For Spring Weekend, the headlining event is what we call Oozeball. For Oozeball, the sand in the volleyball court located on Stubbs Lawn is dug up and replaced with water. In this combination of sand and water, students form teams and play in a fierce volleyball tournament throughout the weekend, proving that nothing is more relaxing than getting a little muddy with your friends.
The last Longwood tradition I’m highlighting is one that you won’t experience until your senior year, but it’s well worth the wait. In a ceremony dedicated specifically to celebrating our seniors, Convocation is where the seniors pick an underclassman to decorate their graduation cap, in a process called “capping.” The decorations are meant to symbolize their passions as well their time at Longwood. Many of the caps can get pretty elaborate, but they are just a small representation of all the memories one student can create here.
Longwood has numerous traditions that bring all of its students together. These traditions personify what it means to be a Lancer. Hopefully, over the next four years you get to experience every last one of them and who knows, you might help create a future Longwood tradition!
