Traditions
Biola has many great traditions that date back to past generations of students. These traditions are a unique way to connect with other students and just have fun.
Some traditions are based on talent and competition, while others are based on class or residence hall affiliation. Most traditions are just for fun, and they all promote campus community.
Biola Campus Traditions
Blue Christmas
Blue Christmas is a student-run concert held after the annual Biola Christmas tree lighting. Local acts and current students participate.
Catch Me If You Can
Students sign up for this campus-wide watergun competition. Each "agent" receives the name of another agent they must hunt down and shoot. "Dead" agents forfeit their list of victims. The agent who lasts the longest and has the most catches wins.
Dorm Competition
Each dorm comes to the event via the dorm parade, a march through campus. Games vary as different residence halls compete against each other to determine superiority. Past games have included Capture the Flag and dodgeball.
The Eddy
Eddy is a mythological legend in the minds of all modern artists. Some say Eddy is more influential than the Beatles, or any painter who ever lived.
Every other Thursday Biola holds free artistic events named after this man, featuring jazz, hip-hop, and rock performances, as well as poetry.
The Egg
The Egg is a large cement egg that is discovered or stolen, then painted and hidden somewhere else on campus by different dorm floors. The Egg has been hidden and found at Biola since the 1960s.
Freshman Fiesta
Freshman Fiesta is an end-of-the-year celebration for first-year students. Jalapeno-eating contests, a live Mariachi Band, and a Spanish feast all characterize this evening of spice.
Get Your Roommate A Date (GYRAD)
GYRADs are floor events that take place several times each year. Each floor plans an original group activity, and roommates find dates for each other.
Past GYRADs have involved hayrides, kayaking, mafia-themed dinners, and other adventures. This casual dating encounter is a highlight for most students.
Midnight Madness
Next to Mock Rock, Midnight Madness is easily the loudest Biola tradition. Students welcome the basketball season with this adrenaline-filled rally featuring skits, dance performances, three-point and dunk competitions, and lots of red.
Mock Rock
Students form groups to perform dance and musical shows in front of fluorescent lights and obsessive screaming fans. This dramatic lip-syncing competition ends with one winner receiving a cash prize based on popular opinion. Extravagant costumes not optional.
Punk ’n Pie
The fall talent show offers students the opportunity to achieve instant celebrity. After acts such as spoon-playing, joke-telling, or singing, students eat pumpkin pie and drink cider and hot chocolate. Prizes are awarded to the talent show winners.
Sophomore Mugging
Sophomore Mugging is an event designed to celebrate the sophomore class. Each sophomore receives a free mug, and ice cream, root beer floats, cookies, and karaoke abound.
Spring Banquet
Spring Banquet is a formal dinner held at an exotic off-campus locale. Students often dress up and take dates to this event, which has recently been held at the Queen Mary and the L.A. Zoo.
"The theme of my GYRAD last semester was 'White Christmas.' My friends and I decided we needed amazingly cool Christmas sweaters for us and our dates, so we got cheap ones. Yeah for Christmas sweaters!
"First we went ice-skating. Pictures could not capture how we exceeded the proficiency level of regular ice-skaters and demonstrated the genius of our ability.
"Then came the gingerbread house-making contest. The winner was actually a Las Vegas wedding chapel made of graham crackers, which we later lit on fire.
"The big event of the night was watching A Christmas Story on McNally Field. It was actually the first time I'd ever seen the movie, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I gasped in excitement when Ralphie recieved his Red Ryder air rifle.
"We ended the night getting great, cheap Mexican food at a local 24-hour place called 'Molcasalsa.' After bidding goodnight we went back to our rooms and fell asleep. All in all it was an eventful day and a great GYRAD!"
– Mindy, English
"Midnight Madness is another sweet tradition at Biola. It's pretty much a big pep rally that starts at 11:00 p.m. and ends at 1:00 a.m.
"This was my first Midnight Madness, and I actually got to be pretty involved. I was the bottom of the 'I' when we spelled BIOLA with human bodies during the playing of the national anthem.
"I also got to run around during the rally with this huge Biola flag. I know it wasn't a big role in the rally – I mean, I pretty much just ran around in front of the stands with a huge flag.
"But I felt so powerful, dare I say majestic with the flag. I felt like William Wallace leading his fellow men to battle. The rest of the night was a party, including some games, frisbee throwing, and glow sticks.
"But the real highlight of the night was obviously the flag being aimlessly run around."
– Chris, Nursing
