Kallie Spencer
Staff
Symbolism can turn mundane things into something special. Walking in a certain direction on a random day can feel unimportant. That is until the significance is found.
Snow College has started a tradition of walking from the stadium to under the Bell Tower, signifying a new beginning for Freshmen. This is later repeated from the opposite direction when students are dressed in graduation regalia, showcasing the end of their experience at Sow.
Freshmen walk from east to west during orientation, then later from west to east as they graduate. This is a simple task, so why do they do it?
Brittany Cornelsen, head of the First Year Experience says the following:
“We line the pathway with faculty and staff members to celebrate and welcome [the freshmen]. It’s an effort of trying to help them visualize their goal at the beginning of Snow . . . we want them to see the end result of them walking away with a diploma.”
In the morning, the sun rises from the east and sets in the west. When compared to orientation, it is seen as a new beginning or starting over.
When students graduate, they walk in the opposite direction. This symbolizes the sun setting, the day ending, and ultimately the end of a student’s college experience at Snow.
A freshman, Kaycie Christensen said that “the symbolism is important because it unites the freshmen and makes them feel as if they’re a part of something bigger.”
Being a new student can be a wonderful experience while creating unexpected opportunities. Graduating can bring similar experiences. Both are easily compared to the beginning and end of the day.
Ash Powers, a freshman, stated, “It shows how appreciated we are at Snow and how much the faculty and staff want us to succeed.”
Although mundane, direction matters. Educational direction is important from orientation to after graduation. Walking under the Bell Tower is a symbolic gesture of the importance of school, and the ability that students have to accomplish something big.