The most unforgettable part of this past Labor Day Weekend was none other than Yellowjacket Weekend, where students bonded with each other over exciting activities.
Here are some of the highlights from that weekend:
- Being a human claw machine
- Bungee jumping into the Genesee River
- Food trucks from local restaurants Texas de Brazil and Chipotle
- Hunting groundhogs for the Back-to-School Barbecue
- Gathering students’ food waste to make garbage plates
But there was one activity that truly stood out.
Students stood in mile-long lines for the highly-anticipated limited edition T-shirt, which read, “Feel the Sting!” This tagline is significant for a specific reason: Once new students receive their shirts, they are required, as part of a centuries-old school tradition, to actually live by that tagline. In the following 48 hours, new students must get stung by a number of professionally trained yellowjackets, as determined by the year they graduate, forming the shape of a big, red, swollen “R” on their foreheads to complete their student initiation. One student, Rocky Jellojacket ’28, says, “Can you believe that I really got stung by 2,028 yellowjackets? I actually counted!”
What about the side effects of the ritual? I’m glad you asked. Of course, aching at the afflicted area is to be expected, as it reflects the innumerous amounts of pain and stress students feel upon finals week. These recently marked students are now granted the power to withstand all sorts of pain, contribute to the world, and be part of an awesome school community.
Happy New School Year, Yellowjackets (ahem, the Vespula)!
