GAME: Society
LEVEL: Superstitions and Myths
Underneath the Waldo Library clock tower there is a W, roughly three feet by three feet, inlaid into the cement directly in the center of the walkway. The W is the symbol for Western Michigan University, thick blue block lettering.
There is a tradition of superstition that surrounds this seemingly ordinary W. On orientation day, my group leader Adrienne had us circle around this W and she told us never to step on it, or bad luck will be cast upon us, causing us to fail our first semester finals. She said that she had a friend who stepped on the W on accident and failed out of school after that.
Adrienne finished explaining the myth. I looked around at my group, and their gazes were still fixed to the W. I imagine they were wondering whether or not to take it seriously. Whether or not they believed the myth, no one was stepping on it.
This is absurd, I thought. I stuck out my foot and proudly stomped down directly in the center of the W. Someone gasped, some of them smiled, some of them gave me a scowl that gave me the impression I had personally offended them. No one else followed suit. They kept their feet where it was safe.
To this date I have never seen another person step on this W. In fact, I see people intentionally avoiding it all of the time. I suppose that the myth has had a powerful effect on the student body, for some people truly believe that something dreadful will happen to them if they step on this W. Even if they are skeptical of such a superstition, they avoid it just to be safe.
I pass this W every day on my way to class, and I always make a point to stomp all over it.
