Since UGA is a 237-year-old school, it has a lot of traditions. They range from calling the dawgs at football games, to one of the oldest traditions, walking through the Arch on North Campus. While some of these traditions are more common than others, each one helps strengthen the bond between students and the university. Here are just a few to help you get to know UGA and its campus even more!
The Arch
The Arch is certainly the most recognizable object on UGA’s campus, and for good reason! It stands in one of the entrances to North Campus, which is the oldest part of UGA and arguably the most beautiful. Students are only supposed to walk through the Arch once they have graduated, and most seniors incorporate this into their senior pictures. For a lot of people, the Arch stands for the ability to pursue higher education and the now-classic institution of the University of Georgia.
The ringing of the Chapel Bell
Also situated on North Campus, the chapel bell sits behind the UGA Chapel. UGA students love to ring the bell, and so you might hear it on campus for various reasons. The most common time it is rung is after UGA wins a football game. Once the game is over, fans will create a line to the chapel, and everyone gets to ring it. However, lots of students also ring it for good luck on tests, being done with finals, or getting good news!
The Dawg Walk
This tradition also takes place around football games. If UGA is hosting a game at Sanford Stadium, fans will line up hours before the game to cheer for the players walking into the stadium. The line typically starts near the Tate Student Center, and people also watch from the parking garage above. If you’re lucky, you might get a handshake or photo with your favorite player!
Calling the Dawgs and the Battle Hymn
If you’ve ever watched a Georgia football game, you’ve probably heard the cheers of UGA fans at kickoff. That’s calling the dawgs! Once the kicker is teed up, the fans start yelling “GOOOO…” until the kicker connects with the ball. Then the fans yell “Dawgs, Sic’Em, woof, woof, woof!”. While this might seem silly to you now, doing it for the first time at a game is so much fun and connects all the fans. Another tradition, but less known at football games, is the Battle Hymn. It is played by a lone trumpeter from the Red Coat band in the Southwest corner of Sanford Stadium. It becomes deadly quiet, and everyone points to the player as their music rings through the stadium. It will give you chills!
Krypton Lights
This is a newer tradition, but so awesome to experience. During night football games, the Redcoat Band will play Krypton during the break between the 3rd and 4th quarters. The stadium gets darker, and the fans start to light up their phone flashlights, creating an amazing sea of lights in the stadium. If it’s your first time, just follow everyone else and join in on the fun!
Snellebrating
You read that right! Snellebrating is an awesome tradition for students that takes place at Snelling dining hall, the only hall on campus that operates twenty-four hours a day. At midnight, they start serving breakfast, with a fan-favorite item being the French toast sticks. The original idea was to celebrate finals week with Snelling, but it’s so fun, who wouldn’t want to do it more often?
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