Issue date: 1/26/07 Section: News

Gracie Arenas - THE BATTALION

It's test day for sophomore business major Aaron Wechter, and everyone knows what that means. He gets up, brushes his teeth and puts on his mid-calf, bright orange and brown Cleveland Browns socks. Whether they are under layers of clothing in the winter months or facing the world with shorts and sandals, this is one test day superstition that amounts to more than just a fashion faux pas.

"They were a gift given to me, and I would wear them on game days, because they're special for game days," Wechter said. "I thought I'd wear it for special occasions like tests also, and ever since I've worn them, I've done very well on my tests. I've never had a bad test grade with my Browns socks, ever. I forgot to wear them once, and I colored my socks orange. I did well, but not as much."

Many students can relate to having a personal superstition like Wechter's, whether they are academic scholars, dedicated Aggies or college athletes.

Superstitions among students on campus are as varied and diverse as the students themselves. While some deal with academics, others are focused on keeping Aggie traditions or participating in college sports events.

Wechter started this superstition his freshman year of high school and has not given it up while at college.

"My mom is actually sending them in the mail right now, because I forgot them at home," he said. "But I wore them all last semester for tests. I actually already went through one pair because they were no longer functional, and so I got another pair ordered. But I still have the originals; I haven't let go of them."

So whether the test day comes with rain or shine, Wechter proudly sports his good luck socks around campus.

"I wear them with shorts. I wear them with sandals. I wear them with anything. They're my pride," he said.

Another test day superstition followed by several students is the tradition of placing coins on the Sul Ross statue in hopes of receiving a good score in return.

"I don't put coins on the Sul Ross statue for every test," said Brett Redman, a freshman general studies major "Only the ones I think I'm going to do bad on. When I put coins on the statue, I feel better about the test, but that doesn't necessarily mean I do better."

When it comes to his Aggie traditions, Redman is certainly not cheap.

"I mainly put pennies, but if I want to do really good, I start getting higher up in the silver," he said. "The most I ever put on was about a dollar, and that was around finals week."

Continued...

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