Beginning college is like traveling to a foreign country. You’re lost and confused, hit with a wave of culture shock. It feels as if everyone else is speaking another language. What is this coop they keep mentioning? And why does everybody call the Graham-Lees dorm “Glees”? Not to mention the strange customs such as this thing called Midnight Breakfast. Oh, and apparently we have a college prom?
I remember immediately feeling overwhelmed, as if everyone was in on this joke but me. I was already nervous about adjusting to my classes and newfound independence and now, I had a whole new culture to assimilate to as well.
However, it is this very language and these customs that are unique to Washington and Lee that bond our student body and build community.
Our most notable custom is the speaking tradition, a.k.a every tour guide’s favorite thing to brag about. This unspoken tradition dictates that you should say “Hi” to all those you pass on campus. Many have debated whether or not the speaking tradition is dead; a distant memory of this university’s past. But, I like to believe it is as alive and well as ever. Whether it’s a quick hello to my professor in Commons or a wave to a friend on the way to class, it’s these small but significant acts of kindness and familiarity that make Washington and Lee feel like a home.
And everyone knows the next custom: never, ever, under any condition, walk through the middle of the Glees archway. Legend has it that doing so means certain failure on your next exam. Instead, students will walk on either side of the columns, as seen by the worn-down stone step. I’ve always found comfort in the worn steps of Glees, symbolizing the many students who walked those steps before us and each made their own impact on the university.
Many of our treasured customs arose during Robert E. Lee’s time at Washington and Lee. In fact, the legacy of Robert E. Lee’s horse, Traveller, is embedded throughout this campus’s traditions. Chances are you see an artifact of Traveller’s memory every time you pass the President’s house, either on your way to Hillel or for an early morning Pronto coffee. Robert E. Lee was known to leave the doors of the stable open at all times so Traveller could come and go as he pleased. Today, we uphold this custom by continuing to leave the door of the stables open so that Traveller’s ghost can roam free.
As for the unique language of Washington and Lee, a good rule of thumb is that nobody actually calls buildings by their official names. The marketplace is D-Hall, Cafe 77 is Coop, E-Cafe is Hillel, and Graham-Lees is Glees. And, speaking of Glees, a core part of the Washington and Lee experience is the rivalry between Glees and Gaines, a rite of passage for every freshman.
No matter the custom, the traditions of Washington and Lee play an important role in building and maintaining community. Thousands of undergrad students, spanning hundreds of years, share a common bond that ties us together. Whether subconsciously or consciously, whether official or unofficial traditions, we are creating traditions that will outlive us.
No matter if you are speaking with a current student or an alum from the ’70s, both will understand the importance of the speaking tradition and the curse of the Glees Arch.
The traditions of Washington and Lee might be like an inside joke, but at least we’re all in on it!
