Here at Georgia Southern, there are so many traditions that Eagles of all ages have loved and shared. This is a common thing at universities and colleges, there are often traditions that are even shared with incoming students on tours or introduction ceremonies.

I asked people on campus about their favorite traditions; ranging from professors to students to staff to athletes. Without further ado, let’s see what are some of the students of Georgia Southern’s favorite traditions!

From Senior Nursing student, Chanel Leiva’s favorite traditions are the “lighting of Sweetheart Circle and Freedom’s flight”.

The lighting of Sweetheart Circle is an annual holiday tradition at Georgia Southern. Every year, during the first week of December, the president of the university assists with a beautiful lighting display in the circle for everyone to come to see. Students and faculty and friends are all welcome. Freedom’s Flight is the football tradition where our real-life mascot, a male American Bald Eagle named Freedom, takes flight on over the football field every home game. It definitely gets the crowd riled and ready for every game!

International Studies and Arabic Senior Claudia Hopper’s favorite traditions is one also often done at football games- taking a picture with Freedom the Eagle.

“Getting a picture with a real eagle is always cool, but it also feels like a deeper contact with the ‘True Blue’ spirit than just dressing up in GSU colors and seeing a game. I also really like the ‘Whose House Our House’ chant because it feels very communal”, Hopper said. Throughout the football game, Freedom the Eagle and his handler will walk through the stands of the stadium and let people take pictures. The ‘Whose House Our House’ chant Hopper references is a classic game chant, where the crowd chants those exact words, just to remind any newcomers or rivals that may have forgotten.

Nutrition and Food Science Senior, Jacoby Hood, is a fan of football traditions Georgia Southern has done for years. One of them being Stadium Walk, where football players ride around campus, ending up at the stadium, waving to fans along the way. “Stadium walk is a great start before the game. You encounter interesting people and see friends having a good time.”

There are so many traditions that students love here at Georgia Southern, check back in the following weeks to hear favorite traditions from faculty and staff!