A sea of students swarmed in Strathmore Tunnel on Wednesday night before running through the UCLA campus to commemorate the end of spring quarter with the school year’s last Undie Run.
For some students, the Bruin tradition of being scantily dressed while running from Strathmore Tunnel to Shapiro Fountain is a positive way of concluding four years at UCLA before graduation.
“It kind of topped off my year and was a good way to spend with friends before I graduated,” said Melissa Rodriguez, a fourth-year sociology student who will graduate this weekend. “We got a bunch of people together before, and we were hanging out and taking pictures.”
Rodriguez said the Undie Run tradition sets UCLA apart from the other UC schools.
“The fact that there’s so many other students that are going through what you’re going through ““ stressing over studying for finals ““ is really stress-relieving,” she said. “We’re such a big school and so well-respected, but being in your underwear is kind of a rebellious statement different from other schools.”
Students whose stay at UCLA is not finished also enjoyed stripping to their underwear and rejoicing in the last week of classes by participating in Undie Run.
Hannah Lyden, a third-year psychology student, said the ritual has a way of bringing students together.
“It’s one of the only things that lets everyone be silly and share something together as a community,” Lyden said.
Indeed, Undie Run does bring students together. This quarter, 5,000 to 6,000 students attended, said Nancy Greenstein, director of community services for university police.
UCPD lined both the Strathmore Tunnel and Royce Quad to ensure the good behavior and safety of students.
Though there were no arrests, there did seem to be more alcohol abuse than usual and more participants than usual who are not enrolled at UCLA, Greenstein said.
The mass of people is a worry to university officials, especially since many participants drink alcohol, causing increased partying and rowdy behavior before, during and after the festivities.
Consequently, most of the emergency medical service calls were for alcohol abuse or people who may have slipped, Greenstein said.
One seemingly intoxicated runner shattered a Powell Library window during the run, Lyden said.
Damage to one of Powell’s western windows was the most significant damage, Greenstein said.
University officials have discussed prohibiting the event in the past because of the property damage that occurs, such as when an orange traffic cone was thrown through a Powell window last quarter.
The Undie Run is therefore still in danger of cancellation because of the risk it poses, Greenstein said.
The principle concern of the university is to assure students’ well-being, even if students are disappointed about the event’s potential cancellation, she added.
“Our goal for Undie Run is to make sure our students are safe,” Greenstein said.
Rodriguez said she would be upset if the event were canceled, and she hopes future graduating students will get to remember the Undie Run as a cornerstone of their UCLA experience like she will.
“Undie Run has been our tradition, and I don’t think students will be willing to cut that tradition,” she said. “They’ve cracked down on it a lot more this year. “¦ I feel like it’s a liberating experience that they shouldn’t get rid of.”