The Frozen Boot Toss — At the start of winter break, students gathered by a frozen Lake Mendota to compete in
throwing snow boots across the ice.
B.
Bascom Hill Tug-of-War — Classes competed in a rope pull stretching up Bascom Hill, with upperclassmen pulling
up the hill and underclassmen given the downhill advantage.
C.
Bag Rush — Freshmen and sophomores battled in a muddy free-for-all to capture straw-filled sacks.
D.
The Midnight Dash — Students sprinted from Memorial Union to Bascom Hall at midnight.
3.
Which of these festivities was once part of UW life?
The Badger Bonfire — At the end of the spring semester, students gathered for an organized bonfire near the
lakeshore, complete with school songs, speeches, and late-night celebrations marking
the close of finals.
B.
Annual Campus Carnival — Student groups hosted booths offering a variety of exciting games and activities,
ranging from pie throwing to mock weddings.
C.
Union Masquerade Ball — A formal masked dance held annually at Memorial Union, featuring a live band, themed
décor, and a tradition of students revealing their identities to one another at midnight.
D.
State Street Fair — Businesses on State Street closed for a student-run festival filled with outdoor games,
food stands, and live performances.
Fasching Parties — A German-inspired celebration with music, food, and workshops held at Der Rathskeller.
B.
Finals Week Polka — Live polka bands performed in Memorial Union for students to dance the stress away
during exams.
C.
Battle of the Badger Bands — Student bands competed in a campus-wide music showcase with the winning group
invited to perform at a Memorial Union event.
D.
The Wisconsin Waltz — A formal dance tradition in which first-year students attended a structured evening event
to learn basic ballroom steps, with upperclassmen serving as their instructors.
Light Up the Lake — Students kayaked with glow sticks in the spring and lit up the lake in neon colors.
B.
Ice Sculpture Lighting — Students carved ice sculptures along the frozen lake and lit them with candles at night
for a festive display.
C.
Nighttime Canoe Parade — Students decorated canoes with ribbons and lights and paddled around the lake after
dark in the spring.
D.
Venetian Night — Lake Mendota was filled with floating lanterns and whimsical displays for participants in
canoes and rafts to paddle through before watching a firework display.
Senior Sunrise — Members of the graduating class met at sunrise on their graduation day at Bascom Hill
for a group photo and to say farewell to their classmates.
B.
The Final Walk — Graduates took a walk together through campus before the Commencement Ceremony
began.
C.
Sunburst Terrace Chair Tradition — Graduating seniors gathered at the Memorial Union Terrace to sit in Sunburst chairs for
the last time as students and to toss a penny into Lake Mendota for luck in their future
endeavors.
D.
Senior Swingout — Graduating Badger women in their caps and gowns ran through an archway created by
underclassmen on Bascom Hill.
Quiz Outcomes
1.
Looks like you’re just dipping your toes into UW–Madison traditions!
You know a bit about UW campus life and history, but a few traditions slipped past you. Brush up on a few more, and you’ll be a true Badger history buff!
