"Folklore of Student Life" holds the accumulated wisdom and wit of several IU undergraduate classes and of a good many IU undergraduates, all focused upon the folklore -- those shared avenues of creativity and expression -- that is part of the college experience at Indiana University. This website is a joint production of Prof John McDowell and his students in a number of undergraduate classes
Pugsly’s Response Received from David Roth, alias Pugsly: I was a music student at Indiana University School of Music in the late 70s and early 1980s. My interest in computers was sparked by using software that ran on the CDC Continue Reading …
In late August I was contacted by a reporter with a query about this campus legend: “I am a reporter with the IDS and am working on a story about the tree that the chemistry annex building was built around. Continue Reading …
Contributor: Lindsey Hughes Informant: Stephanie Smith (Pseudonym) Title of Text: “Proposal” Date of Text: First Semester, Oct. 31, 2005 (Halloween!!) Text (Interview) Interviewer: When did your boyfriend propose to you? Stephanie: He proposed on Halloween, before we went to our Continue Reading …
Paul’s fraternity songs Item 1: The first song I found was a Fraternity Drinking song. The song comes from my own fraternity Alpha Tau Omega (ATO). This was taught to us on the first day of pledge ship. Ru Ra Continue Reading …
Item 4: Opium Board * Date: Fall of 2007 Location: Student’s apartment Informant: Anonymous *A note about discussion and interview in concerns of the opium board. As this art does deal with drug culture names have been changed for interviews. Continue Reading …
Observation of Showalter Fountain Collector spent 45 minutes at Showalter Fountain on Wednesday, March 24, from a period of 2-3 pm. Collector was joined by AJ and Taryn, informants from the first two interviews. The Wellness Day was chosen as Continue Reading …
Title #3: No Sturdy Ground (I interviewed my friend Abby Zale, a senior, regarding rumors that the library has been sinking since it was first erected on campus) JF: Hi Abby, how’ve you been doing lately? AZ: Oh I’m ok, Continue Reading …
Text 2 Contributor: Jennifer Harber Informants: http://www.computerjokes.net/023.htm; By: Anonymous Title: Murphy’s Laws of Computing Semester/ Year: Fall 2005 1. When computing, whatever happens, behave as though you meant it to happen. 2. When you get to the point where you Continue Reading …
From Lindsey B’s journal: Text 1 In some sororities and fraternities they post “toilet times”. This includes, but is not limited to, gossip around the house, the weather, stories, jokes, and riddles. For example, in my sorority ours is called Continue Reading …
Knock-off Crepes Source: Noelle Simoneaux, current IU 2nd year – Self-documentation; Mar 29, 2021 Text: How often did you cook your meals compared to eating dining hall food? I mostly ate dining hall food for lunch and dinner but usually Continue Reading …