A few weeks ago I was at the Memorial Union with my cousin, Kelly Remsburg, who grew up in Ames.

I was just a naive transfer student. We had to walk back to the parking ramp, but for some unknown reason she took the route out the door by the fountain.

She turned and scolded me for walking on the zodiac. Surprised, I quickly hopped off the artwork. I was then informed that walking on the zodiac can result in a bad test grade.

Since then I have learned that this university is full of superstitions. I found out that if I had thrown a penny in the fountain soon after walking on the zodiac it would’ve prevented the bad grade.

I began to wonder what else may affect my life here at Iowa State University. I asked around, but most students are unconcerned with matters of superstition.

The fact is they do not know that superstitions are directly related to getting your degree. They are too wrapped up in wondering why the professor gave them a poor grade when, in fact, the professor may have had no choice but to give them a poor grade based on the fact that they walked on the zodiac.

I now feel it is necessary to inform the student’s of the superstitions I have heard in order to help them through their college careers.

One of the more well-known legends is that no one is a true Iowa State co-ed until they have kissed under the Campanile at midnight during the little song and all accompanying twelve bells.

I also found out that if a brick falls while they are kissing, then she is a virgin. No bricks have ever fell, so I guess that tells you something about ISU.

Another legend is that if a person walks around Lake LaVerne with their sweetheart three times during their years at Iowa State they are destined to become married.

I have also heard that students should not walk on the famed Rocks of Knowledge. These rocks exist on the south side of the Memorial Union parking ramp.

If someone walks on these rocks, the rocks will suck knowledge out of the person’s head. These aren’t very forgiving rocks either because throwing pennies into the fountain will not help regain the lost knowledge. Rumor has it that collection agencies are thinking about using these rocks on people who fail to pay their student loans.

It is said that if someone rubs the loaf of bread in the sculpture Aequanimitas in the LeBaron Hall courtyard that they can lose ten pounds. This makes an interesting dietary practice for an ag school.

Please, do not forget to talk to the clown in Fisher Theater on a regular basis, especially if you plan on moving him. I’ve heard that the clown likes to move around at night and is capable of getting into your dreams.

Fisher Theater itself is also haunted by Fredricka Shattuck, the founder of ISU theater. Many people have felt her presence.

A few years ago an individual was seen down by the food storage in Friley Hall food service by the UDA security at around two or three a.m. They followed the person to a gate. It is possible to go around this locked gate, but it takes a minute or two to walk around.

They walked up to the gate and the person was seen on the other side. The person had absolutely no time to walk around, and nobody, not even food service, is believed to have a key to this gate, and security didn’t hear any clinking metal. The only way to the other side that quickly was to walk through the gate. Since then this ghost has simply been called Mr. Big.

UDA security has seen lights that have been turned off and later found turned back on even though doors were locked. They blame this on Mr. Big, the ghost of Friley Hall.

I learned of a morbid story behind the ghost that haunts a room in Barker House in Lyon Hall. A few years ago a girl killed herself there and when the university began to let people live in the room again, they heard voices and strange noises.

There are several guardians across campus. If someone enters their buildings with the wrong intentions the guardians may prevent them from acting out their wishes.

The Molecular Biology Building, Gilman Hall, and others have gargoyles, G-Nomes, lions, cows, muses, angels, and other creatures to protect them and Iowa State academics.

Perhaps the Olsen Building needs the old statue of Cy back to help protect ISU athletics.

I personally know that it is not good to offend the wrestler Arnold the Giant. He is now dead and can be mean in the ether world. Someone put a sticker of him on a pole by Pearson and Marston Halls. Arnold doesn’t like it when someone puts their bike on that pole because it blocks people’s view of him.

Arnold’s not too mean, so these people are doomed to simply have a bad day and possibly a bike problem. He does like it when people rub the top of his pole, so those people can look foward to a good day.

If you know any other campus superstitions, please, for the sake of your fellow students, send them to me at: [email protected].

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Tim Frerking is ajunior in journalism mass communication from Pomeroy.