The Memorial Union Zodiac - To Walk Around or Step It Through

[NorthCyd]

I feel like this is a way bigger deal to alumni and people who don't go to school there any more than ones that are actually on campus. I actually sat and watched for a while one day during lunch and way more people would just walk normally across it than around it when it was busy. I never thought that much about it when I was a student.

 

[ClonerJams]

Still walk around. I'm not a monster

 

[Nor'MidWester]

Not to make this bigger than what it is lol, but I have to think everyone who walks across the zodiac just does so to be a contrarian "see everyone, look at me, I don't believe in the curse, I'm a loser and have no friends". Of course no one really believes you'll fail your next exam, you just do it because traditions are fun.

You're allowed to walk on it once after you've taken your last final but other than that if you step on the zodiac you're not cool. I feel like traditions are fading at ISU (veishea etc.), keep them.

On that note it's WAY past due for the return of veishea.
End rant.

 

[dafarmer]

Honor and respect of what?

Honor and respect the names on the walls.

 

[NorthCyd]

Honor and respect the names on the walls.

I actually walked around and read a lot of them one day. Does that count?

 

[VeloClone]

Also, can you allow more than one choice on the poll? I walk around it because of tradition but, according to my occasional dream, I still might flunk my next test while being naked.

I agreed with this because also in my dreams jcyclonee is naked, failing a test.

 

[VeloClone]

I always walked over it. Come at me.

 

[cytor]

John Wick walks around it.... just sayin.

 

[CascadeClone]

I've always walked over it. Partly to be a stubborn ass, and partly just because I never feared man nor beast wrt academics.

 

[Lyon309Cy]

When I was a student I adapted my own superstition. I walked across, being very careful to only step on my own sign, never any other sign. Maybe it was arrogance, trying to prove I could succeed even while inviting bad luck, maybe it was me trying to literally make my own mark or be unique. I went so far as to claim I was collecting all the luck stolen from the schmucks that trudged across it all willy-nilly.
I haven't been back in a long while. I'd probably walk around it now.
The Hall itself though should always be treated with somber respect.

 

[ESciGuy]

I walked right across it

Failed my next test

This is my warning

How many tests did you fail when you didn't walk over it?

 

[Farnsworth]

I feel like this is a way bigger deal to alumni and people who don't go to school there any more than ones that are actually on campus. I actually sat and watched for a while one day during lunch and way more people would just walk normally across it than around it when it was busy. I never thought that much about it when I was a student.

They probably watching tiktok while walking they won't even notice of where they are.

 

[seadog]

I graduated in 1975 . I have never walked over the zodiac

 

[Farnsworth]

This is a tradition?

I think some of the older posters would know better than I. IIRC Is you started at the doors of Beardshear when the bells start of midnight, down the stairs, up the grass, and get to the doors Curtis before the end of the 12 bells. I think they used to years ago they people did this as a group of coeds.

Now I'm thinking about mass campaniling. This was always done in a VEISHEA weekend night, so when would they do it now? Hundreds of all students making out at central campus at midnight.

 

[dafarmer]

I actually walked around and read a lot of them one day. Does that count?

Yes,as I do, one
was a cousin of mine.

 

[bsaltyman]

I always walked over it. I graduated in 2006 with a good gpa, so I guess it never gave me bad luck.

 

[aeroclone]

My guess is the people who walk over the Zodiak are the same ones who stand up to wipe.

 

[CloneLawman]

I walk around it.

A few years ago, we visited for a college tour with my daughter. I hadn't been in the union for about 20 years. I still swerved to the right walking around it just out of habit and respect.

@CloneLawman is one of the monsters that doesn't respect our beloved institution.

That's correct. Actually I am respecting the artist and his vision. He intended for it to be worn smooth by many years of being walked upon. The tradition is the corruption of what was intended to be an artwork collaborated on by students across the ages.

 

[NorthCyd]

This is funny. I asked my wife if she walked over or around the Zodiac when she was at ISU and she said around. When I said I would walk over it she looked aghast and said "Don't you respect the traditions of your university?!" Maybe the curse is real and it's just playing a long game by ruining my marriage.

 

[CloneLawman]

I agreed with this because also in my dreams jcyclonee is naked, failing a test.

You probably can't see much anyway, given the blinding glare leaping off his shiny dome.