Author Archives: Samuel Gong

Tradition – Stanford University

Nationality: Vietnamese
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Carson, CA
Performance Date: April 22, 2008
Primary Language: English

Stanford Fountain Hopping

Fountains are a pleasant piece of scenery.  For Stanford students, they are that and so much more.  During hot spring days students attending Stanford University are known to play in the fountains around campus, submerging themselves and splashing each other.  While it can be done individually, it is most often done in groups with friends.  Students often run in a circle around the perimeter of the fountain, creating a whirlpool effect.  They most often engage in these activities after sporting events or to celebrate a certain event.  Birthdays, sorority or fraternity inductions, the end of finals, graduation – nearly everything that can be celebrated is celebrated by fountain hopping.  In the picture included above, students refresh themselves after graduation by jumping in the famous Old Union fountain.

My friend Amie, who is a freshman attending Stanford University, shared this little tradition with me.  Like me, she is originally from Southern California.  We both had no prior knowledge of this strange habit of Stanford students.  She explains that although it may be strange outside of Stanford, it is really quite commonplace there.  “It’s not weird here, she adds, everybody does it.”  Perhaps as a freshman, however, she still thinks it a little strange, and has not indulged in this tradition herself.  She has however taken the first steps, having sat on the edge and put her feet into the water.  She adds, “Even on hot days, the water is still really cold, I can see why everybody does it.”  After discussion we concluded that the tradition probably started on a hot day when a quirky individual thought he would take a swim in a fountain.  Seeing how much fun he was having and sweating from the scorching heat, others soon joined him.  The experience was so gratifying that they indulged themselves over and over again.  Seeing this golden opportunity to do something out of the ordinary which is usually frowned upon, even more students decided to join them in the fountain.  Soon, so many people were playing the fountains of Stanford that it gradually became a socially acceptable activity to participate in.  Indeed, the school does not even condemn this practice.

After some research, I found that this tradition was documented in the article by Jenny Miller entitled “Fountain hopping a popular Stanford Spring Tradition.”  This piece appeared in the May 24, 2002 issue.  It relates how the university has embraced this tradition, with the school band even holding a spring fountain rally every year.  According to John Bravman, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, this tradition probably originated in the late 1970’s and became prominent in the 1980’s.

Since I had heard nothing of this event prior to visiting Stanford, I was shocked to see students casually loafing in the school’s many fountains in their swimming suits.  It was not hard to guess why this tradition caught on so quickly, however.  With the temperatures in the high eighties, the only place I really wanted to be was the beach.  Having grown up in Hermosa Beach, the beach was a luxury only a ten minute walk away.  These poor students had no such oasis of refreshment up in Stanford.  The nearest beach required a lengthy car ride and even then, the shore was rocky and uninviting.  These fountains, though a poor substitute for sunny Hermosa Beach, were at least a place where they students could relax, cool off, and socialize.

Strangely enough, this was not the first time I had seen individuals playing in a fountain.  At the foot of the towering Space Needle in Seattle, Washington, there lies the sprawling Seattle Center.  In this center is the largest fountain in Seattle, the International Fountain.  Pictured below, this fountain was designed for children and adults alike to play in its delightful water streams.  With a large bowl shaped bottom and varying streams of water shooting from the center, it can accommodate massive amounts of people at once.  Indeed, when I visited with a couple of friends on a road trip we took last summer, there were probably close to fifty happy individuals running around in the water.  The excitement is contagious; though none of us were dressed in anything remotely resembling swimwear, we all jumped in a joined the crowd.  The demographics of the attraction were interesting; it seemed as if people from every walk of life were present.  Wealthy tourist families on vacation with their children were present.  Poorer families, probably from a neighboring area, were also there.  Neighborhood children riding bikes came to play in the water.  High school age children and young adults alike found themselves running around in the fountain.  Even retired seniors came to the fountain.  While most of these probably came to sit and watch the youngsters play, a couple of them joyously slipped into the water themselves.  It seems that whether in Hermosa Beach, Stanford, or Seattle, people enjoy a socializing and playing in the water on sunny days.

Tradition – Stanford University

Nationality: Vietnamese
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Carson, CA
Performance Date: April 02, 2008
Primary Language: English

Stanford – Full Moon on the Quad

When incoming freshmen enter Stanford University, they are greeted with open arms.  Everything is arrayed in order to make their transition as easy as possible.  However, after a couple months, they are presented with an occasion which they may not be so comfortable with.  Usually taking place around October, the “Full Moon on the Quad” event draws hundreds of participants.  Freshman must wear name tags and line up in the quad.  Upperclassmen who choose to participate then get to kiss them.  Other activities may then ensue, though they are not condoned by the school, which for the most part chooses to look the other way with regards to this event.

My girlfriend Amie told me this interesting tradition at Stanford University.  She is from Southern California, Carson, in particular, and as such had no prior knowledge of this tradition before she enrolled in Stanford.  Coming from the same high school and living in the same general area, I was completely ignorant of the tradition as well.  I have talked to others my age who had lived within ten miles of the university all my life and they had heard nothing of it.  So, it seems to be a mostly Stanford-exclusive tradition, with the exception of a few unwelcome older individuals from the neighboring cities.  Amie noted that when she went there were numerous “creepers” which made her uneasy.  These were mostly older men, who by their behavior and appearance it was apparent that they were not Stanford students.  These outsiders were not supposed to be in attendance; however they had heard that a couple hundred eighteen and nineteen year olds were lining up ready to be kissed.  Whether it was sexual excitement or just mere curiosity, Amie reported that there were enough of them to make both her and her friends uneasy.

Amie explained that the event is rooted in the idea of the initiation or even hazing of newcomers.  The freshmen, not knowing anything in particular about the university, are introduced to their first “exclusive” Stanford event when they all attend this.  Here, they are more or less placed at the mercy of the older students, or as Amie noted, placed at the mercy of anybody pretending to be and older student.  Though it is not strictly enforced, the freshmen are supposed to let any of the older individuals kiss them.  This can understandably lead to uncomfortable situations for the freshmen.  She remembers somebody saying that this event was initially an underground sort of gathering which was eventually discovered by the university and adopted as a legitimate event.  While the university acknowledges it, it turns a blind eye to most of the event’s happenings.

Though they are in effect being hazed, the freshmen for the most part were eager and receptive.  Amie said that everybody she knew was open to the idea and nearly all of them were excited.  Perhaps this is because, although they are essentially being placed at the mercy of strangers for a night, they feel that this is the first step into becoming a true member of the Stanford community.  This excitement often leads to excessive drinking prior to the event.  Gullible drunken freshman coupled with strangers looking to kiss attractive youngsters inevitably leads to trouble.  It will suffice to say that many freshmen woke up the following morning full of remorse over their actions the previous night.

Joke – California

Nationality: Chinese
Age: 16
Occupation: Student
Residence: Hermosa Beach, CA
Performance Date: April 20, 2008
Primary Language: English

Blonde Joke – Cow in the Tree

A blonde, a brunette, and a redhead decide to try to steal a farmer’s watermelons.  Ripe and juicy, these fruits are delicious and known throughout the neighborhood for their delicious taste.  A couple boys had always stolen these watermelons and were revered through the school for their audacity.  After a while, these three girlfriends got together and wondered why they could not steal the fruits themselves.  They made a plan and when the appointed day came, they three met, all dressed in black.  They stealthily crept through the fields while the farmer snored in his house.  Alas, if it were not for the farmer’s trusty hounds, they three probably would have gotten away with their act.  However, woken by the intruder’s footsteps and their poignant perfume, the dogs started barking up a racket.  The three girls fled into the trees bordering the fields as the gruff old farmer and his dogs came out.  When the dogs stopped at the tree the brunette had climbed up, she was forced to think quickly.  “Chirp, chirp,” she said.  “Oh, it’s only a bird,” the farmer thought, and moved on to the next tree.  The dogs clamored around the next tree which hid the redhead, as the farmer shook the tree.  “Meow, meow, hisss.”  “Oh, just another stupid cat,” the farmer decided.  Coming to the final tree in which the blonde had hid, the dogs again went crazy.  Peering up, the farmer was greeted with silence.  He paused, then shook the tree again.  “Mooo, mooooooo.”

I was told this somewhat lengthy blonde joke by my little brother, Nathanael.  He is currently a junior in high school, attending Mira Costa High in Manhattan Beach, California.  Having attended the same high school, I have a general feel for the demographic makeup.  Over eighty percent Caucasian, the school has more than its fair share of blondes, brunettes, and redheads.

This joke makes fun of both blondes and, to a lesser extent, the entire female race.  The three girls failed in their attempt to steal watermelons, as they awaken the guard dog which in turn wakes the farmer.  The boys, on the other hand, had successfully stolen watermelons for years.  Finally, at the butt of the joke is the poor blonde, who, in emulating the clever animal noises of the others, finds herself selecting one of the only animals which would not able to be found in a tree.  Thus in this already incapable group of girls, the blonde-haired one is the most pitiful.  My brother is full Chinese.  Since he is not white or female, perhaps it is fitting that this joke makes fun blonde girls.  In an environment where he is a definite minority, perhaps jokes like these represent a subtle form of rebellion against the majority.

I have heard another variation of this joke somewhere; however as I already have included numerous blonde jokes, I felt that the addition of another would be repetitive.  This other version sets up the same three girls in a similar situation, except they are hiding in grain sacks in a barn.  The first makes the “squeak, squeak” sound of a mouse.  The second once again meows like a cat.  The unfortunate blond in the third sack is kicked.  She cries out “Potato, potato!”  This version of the joke is very similar as far as the punch line goes.  The first two make unlikely though believable sounds, and are passed over by the angry farmer.  The poor blonde, however picks a ridiculous sound to make, and it is implied that she is discovered.  Cows obviously cannot climb trees; furthermore, potatoes most definitely do not exclaim “Potato!”  The variation and multiplicity of this joke helps validate it as a legitimate, though somewhat ridiculous and humorous, piece of folklore.

Joke – California

Nationality: German, Jewish
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Escondido, CA
Performance Date: April 20, 2008
Primary Language: English

Racial Joke – Driver of Car

A Black and a Mexican are in a car.  Who’s driving?

Answer: The police.

My best friend from high school, Stephan Brown, told me this very racial joke.  He grew up in Escondido, California, before moving to Hermosa Beach during his sophomore year in high school.  We both entered Mira Costa High in Manhattan Beach as sophomores.  Despite all this moving around, Stephan was relatively confident that he learned this joke while he was in grade school down in Escondido.  A small town near San Diego, Escondido is, according to Stephan, marked by an overwhelmingly large Mexican immigrant population.  One can speculate that racial tension developed between the Mexican population in the city and the Caucasians, who may have felt that they were being engulfed by the immigrants.  It is possible that this tension gave rise to racially inspired jokes such as this one among the white community.  With his predominantly Caucasian roots, it is likely that Stephan learned this joke because of his inclusion in the white community.  It is unlikely that Mexicans or individuals of African descent will find this joke funny.

While this joke is dreadfully racial, it touches upon the fact that a large percentage of the individuals who are picked up by the police are of Mexican or African descent.  This is in itself not necessarily a malicious statement; it is only a statement of fact.  This joke merely emphasizes this fact.  By calling attention to this fact, it forces the reader to stop and think why this is so.

Several possible answers to this question exist.  The first possibility revolves around the fact that African Americans and Mexicans are generally, for whatever reason, of the lower socioeconomic classes. Studies have shown that individuals born into poverty are much more likely to commit crimes.  Simply because of their circumstances, individuals coming from these racial classes are more likely to commit crimes.  For this reason they commit more crimes, and are subsequently arrested more frequently.

However, this is not the only possibility.  Each policeman is simply an individual, with his own set of personal biases and prejudices.  These are inevitable and cannot be avoided.  The problems arise when these personal prejudices interfere with the completion of their duties.  Racially-motivated police violence and retaliation is always growing concern for cities, as they are faced with increasingly racially-charged environments as cites become more and more racially diverse.  Countless riots have broken out on account of what is perceived to police injustice.  Thus another theory behind this joke takes into account police prejudice, and cites the personal prejudices of the mostly white policemen against African Americans and Mexicans in order to explain why individuals of these races are more frequently arrested.

As with all racial jokes, one must be careful of the audience present when telling this joke.  Many will not find the joke funny at all, while it may draw a warm reception from others.  However, unlike some jokes which simply ridicule a race, this clever joke at least forces the listener to consider the concepts of racially divided socioeconomic classes and the possibility of police injustice motivated by racial prejudices.

Custom – Oregon

Nationality: Colombian
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Portland, OR
Performance Date: April 18, 2008
Primary Language: English
Language: Spanish

The Unspoken Rule: no Hats in Church

It is unacceptable for anyone to wear a hat, or any type of head covering such as a hood or cloak, in church.  Upon entering, all head coverings must be removed.

My friend Alex told me this idea, much to my surprise.  I had been raised in church, attending a Christian preschool, elementary school, middle school, and junior high.  I had gone to church nearly every Sunday since I was born.  And yet, I had never heard of this rule.

Alex, born and raised in Portland, Oregon is Catholic.  She was raised Catholic by her mother, though her father was a staunch atheist.  While she learned this tradition from her mother when she was very young, she is confident that this tradition has much deeper roots, probably related to those of the Catholic church.  She explains how anything that covers the head is a symbol of the individual’s lack of openness with God.  By covering his head, the individual, whether by conscious decision or ignorance, seeks to hide his heart from God.  While God is able to see through all human barriers, He frowns upon those who try to hide their utmost thoughts from them.  For this reason, when one is entering the presence of God by entering His church, one must first remove these symbols of secrecy.

While I can see the symbolism, it also could be related to the odd rules of etiquette concerning hats.  In some circles, hats or other head coverings are frowned upon when eating dinner, conducting business, or during other formal affairs.  The removal of a hat was a gesture of politeness; men were obligated to remove their hats when they saw a woman or other individual of great importance.  This practice is thoroughly documented on page thirty-four of Maija Jansson’s article “The Hat is no Expression of Honor,” published in Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, Vol. 133, No. 1.  Still, this removal of one’s hat as a symbol of politeness is not universally accepted.  In many circles, especially among the younger population, hats are increasingly becoming a standard accessory.  It is for this reason perhaps that my church, a large Foursquare church in Hermosa Beach, made no requests regarding headwear, while Alex’s traditional Catholic church did.