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One of the most popular Iowa State student traditions is something generally referred to as “Curtiss to Beardshear.” 

The tradition of Curtiss to Beardshear is the act of running from the steps of Curtiss across ISU’s beautiful central campus to the steps of Beardshear immediately as the Campanile strikes midnight. When the clock strikes midnight, the Campanile clangs twelve times, and the challenge is that the run must be completed before the twelfth clang (which requires a generally quick pace). If the runner completes the run in this time, they have succeeded! Seems generally harmless, right?

But there is one more rule; the participant must complete the run entirely naked.

That’s where the problem truly arises. Anyone with half a brain can see the dangers of doing such a task. Do the students that run the Curtiss to Beardshear even know the risks associated with such a tradition? Though many students do the run and leave perfectly fine, we must acknowledge the potential repercussions our beloved Cyclone family could face if we continue to encourage the tradition as it now stands.

If you don’t understand the dangers that Curtiss to Beardshear poses to each and every one of its participants, allow me to educate you.

It is way too dark outside at midnight for such a run to take place. Running at such a quick pace, on a path that is 80% unlit, and in close proximity to other runners makes the Curtiss to Beardshear tradition entirely too dangerous to be casual about. The likelihood of a runner falling and injuring themselves or others is incredibly high.

But to top it all of, these runners are naked! Can you imagine how painful it would be to fall down on concrete at such a high speed? The lack of clothing is what truly solidifies this run as too dangerous with its current guidelines, which is why I am proposing one simple change to the rules that will make this run safer while maintaining its challenge and prestige.

Instead of taking place at twelve midnight, the Curtiss to Beardshear run should happen at twelve noon.

This one proposed amendment to the rules provides many benefits that the current regulations do not have. At noon, the sun is high and bright, giving runners an incredible amount of visibility to see the path and other runners. Additionally, at noon, central campus is full of other students and faculty that are incredibly close and able assist in the off-chance that someone does fall and injure some part of their nude body.

I trust that the highly educated faculty and students at Iowa State University will recognize the advantages of this proposed amendment. For the safety of our current and future Iowa State family, please encourage your fellow Cyclones to run the Curtiss to Beardshear at noon. Trust me, it’s the better option.