#62. Have your picture taken riding the tiger statue just south of Kodak Quad.

Penn State has the Nittany Lion; RIT has the Tiger. For some reason, parents forcing prospective students to take awkward pictures riding the tiger statue by Kodak Quad has become a rite of passage at our institution.

My personal anecdote to this rite is that when I came as a PS, I didn’t want anyone to know. I stood awkwardly by the tiger, and completely hid my orange folder (PSs are often referred to as “Orange Folders” for the information packets they don throughout the day, First years are often referred to as “Lanyards” for the intense dedication they have to keep their IDs safe). Although my mom seemed sad I wouldn’t ride it, I don’t have a stigma about looking like weird- just look at the collection I’ve created since (many of which have been Facebook profile photos). However, as an intimidated and excited-beyond-all-measure seventeen year old high school senior, I couldn’t in the right mind get on the tiger and smile with all the “cool” college students around.

Do I regret this decision?

A bit, I would love to see my expression and relive what I felt the first time I visited my future home.

Still, none of the students would care. RIT isn't your average campus, and we're not your average student body. Honestly, we're kind of weird, and having gone here for three years now, I've forgotten that a normal world exists outside the "RIT Bubble". Outside Henrietta, razor scooters are not socially acceptable modes of transportation, showering is a deal breaker, people don’t fall on the floor laughing over math jokes, and I see why people never leave.

The tiger statue has seen its fair share of immature pranks, and I myself have clearly accosted it on numerous occasions. With this said, the tiger exists in the center of campus as a symbol of unity. He reminds us that we’re all under with similar drives to succeed, to fight through the crazy workloads, reach our potential and remember this time as the best 4/5 years of our lives.

If I can sum up my first year at RIT in a photo, riding a tiger in a horse mask carrying a crutch as a sword is probably pretty accurate. This campus changes you, it breaks you down and pummels you so much so you are forced to either fight back or drown, it lets you embrace your truest form and meet some of the best, daftest people in the world. This isn’t all thanks to the statue, but I’m sure he helps.