College is something that many people take pride in, especially in the United States.
And for many, it makes sense. My two best friends, Theo and Nick, have every reason to wear crimson red and royal blue seven days a week through the month of March and yell “rock chalk” at me whenever I see them: they both are students at University of Kansas.
My mom, a graduate of Emporia State University, always flashes her pinky up at me when I come home for the holiday breaks. And trust me, I return the favor with my pinky to the ground (no offense ESU, it’s a family thing).
But for many, there aren’t a lot of obvious connections between them and their collegiate allegiance, like my buddy Ethan. He was born and raised in the same small Kansas town I grew up in and just graduated from Kansas State University (congrats, pal). But, for reasons I will never be able to explain, he wears burnt orange like his life depends on it. His nickname, “Tex,” comes from his undeniable love for the Texas University Longhorns, and he isn’t scared to show it.
Whether these college fans have a direct relation to the school or not, they all share a common aspect. It is easy to represent their school outside of the university.
The Big 12 is full of memorable sayings and hand signs, and specifically KSU does a great job at making theirs simple and recognizable. The powercat hand sign can be seen all over the state of Kansas, and is typically followed by the phrase “EMAW,” or “Every Man a Wildcat.”
These universities have done a great job of making it easy for fans across the country to represent and relate with their school, but Washburn has no official way to show school pride outside of campus.
Yes, you can wear Ichabod hats and t-shirts to show your pride, but I shouldn’t have to devote my entire closet to blue and white just to show my love for my university outside of campus. Washburn needs a way for students – past, present and future – to represent their university. And I believe there are some small things currently in the works.
When I first toured Washburn and attended my New Student Orientation, “Sko Bods” was the first phrase I heard that showed school spirit. It’s short for “Let’s go Bods,” a mix between a portmanteau and a Midwestern drawl. And I love it. It’s short, easy to remember and incredibly unique.
But don’t take just my advice for it, other Washburn students also like the phrase. We put a poll on our Instagram asking students what they thought of the phrase “Sko Bods.” Of the 51 responses we received, 61% (31) said they love the phrase, while the remaining 39% said they either didn’t like it or didn’t have a preference. This phrase has gained significant popularity in recent years, with over 1,300 Instagram tagged with “skobods”, some even appearing on Washburn University’s official page.
Another unofficial Washburn gesture is the hat tip as our university hand sign. Essentially, you make an “L” using your index finger and thumb, with your finger pointing straight up into the sky and thumb pointing back at you. Then, as if you are wearing a top hat, you flick your finger down and use your thumb to “tip” your hat. This hand sign has been slipping its way into student organizations, with photos featuring athletes and ambassadors tipping their hats on social media posts.
To me, this is an effective way to help get the Washburn community and Topeka community more involved with each other. It gives members of both communities another level of light-hearted common ground. Other schools in the MIAA, such as Emporia and the University of Nebraska-Kearney, have similar sayings and signs that have created a fun culture for both communities to be involved in because they made them official. Why hasn’t Washburn?
This official fan-sign for the university also is a good way to improve school spirit for current students.
Washburn games, while they can sometimes have impressive turnout, can be lackluster when it comes to showing their spirit. Just this past year alone I worked on the sidelines and watched some of the closest and most competitive basketball games I’ve ever witnessed. And what was the student section doing? Sitting behind the goal with an embarrassingly low level of enthusiasm. And does that mean our students aren’t filled with spirit? Absolutely not! Washburn students are proud of their university, they just haven’t jumped on the opportunity to express it. One of Washburn’s main selling points is its goal to give every student a sense of community and belonging. A small hand sign and fun phrase is a great way to help students easily express the community they belong to.
If Washburn is going to officially endorse these expressions, then we as a student body need to be the driving force of confirming these spirit-signs: post pictures on social media of your top-hat tip, yell out “Sko Bods!” at sports games, do whatever you can to make them known. Student engagement is the key factor to turn an idea into a tradition.
This small addition may not solve all of the college’s problems, but it is a great way to kickstart a movement to create a new culture here at Washburn University. Especially with the biggest class of incoming freshmen ever to attend Washburn, there couldn’t be a better time to give students an easy relation to their second home.
