Written by Kelsey Osterman
1. Checking Mailboxes After Chapel
Biola students are quite fond of checking their mail in general, but they especially enjoy peeking into that metal box right after chapel. As if being in a gym full of hundreds of students for an hour is not enough, Biola students love squeezing in with their peers to spin a few numbers and check their most-likely empty mailboxes. Surprisingly, students don’t get trampled in the post-chapel stampede to the mailboxes. Even though the majority of mail these days is electronic, Biola students seem to believe that checking their mailboxes is a daily necessity.
2. Walking Barefoot
If they are not wearing their TOMS or Rainbows, you can bet some Biola students are walking around barefoot. Despite the risks of foot fungi, cuts, stubbed toes and burns due to scorching hot asphalt, Biola students are great advocates of strolling about barefoot. If you are ever wondering what to buy your favorite Biola student for Christmas, keep in mind that pumice stones make great gifts.
3. Dr. Barry Corey
With almost 3,000 Facebook friends, one might say that Dr. Barry Corey has attained “popularity status” on Biola’s campus. In most of their exchanges on the way to class, Biola students hesitate to even make eye contact with vague acquaintances. When Dr. Barry Corey walks past, however, they smile, nod or verbalize a greeting to him — even though he probably doesn’t know their names. Dr. Barry Corey has even been given the chummy nickname “DBC.”
4. Africa
Biola students love the continent of Africa. Bring it up in conversation with Biola students, and they will immediately begin telling you the heart they have for this land mass and its people. Many Biola students are involved with some sort of organization or ministry connected to Africa. Although many Biola students haven’t been to Africa, many talk of wanting to travel there someday to do nonprofit work.
5. Retro Bikes
Many students on campus own fashionable retro bikes — complete with fenders, baskets, banana seats and bells. Most people would think bicycles are something grandparents would give their grandson for his 10th birthday. Biola students look past this, claiming that bikes are an eco-friendly form of transportation for any age. Unfortunately, many of the bicycles on campus are rarely ridden and instead collect dust in bike racks. It seems many Biola students value the prestige of being able to say they own a retro bike, instead of actually riding it.
6. Raising Money Door-to-Door for Tuition
Biola students love their friends, and they love taking up the banner for a social cause. That’s why Biola students can often be found knocking on dorm room doors around campus, requesting funds to pay for a friend’s tuition. They will probably be holding collection cups, selling cookies or simply groveling in order to raise money.
7. V-Neck T-Shirts
Biola students of both genders love wearing V-neck T-shirts. Believing that V-necks are incredibly versatile, Biola students wear them with just about anything. They often pair V-necks with skinny jeans, plaid button-ups or floppy beanie hats. You’ll spot Biola students in V-neck tees watching movies at the dollar theater, going to class or hanging out at Berry Cool with friends. Male Biola students also seem to find it especially attractive to wear extra deep V-necks, giving them the chance to exhibit their extremely manly chest hair.
8. Throwing Apples Down the Baseball Hill
Biola students are quick to snatch up available apples in the cafeteria. One might say this is because fresh fruit is hard to come by in the Caf. Another might rationalize that Biola students are generally health conscious and want to meet their recommended daily servings of fruit. But there is always the more likely possibility that the lure of rolling produce down the hill by the baseball field has grown too strong to resist. Biola students find great pleasure in bowling apples down this hill, in hopes that they will hit the curb at the bottom at just the right speed to send the apples flying onto the roof of the dugout. Doubtless few achieve such success but not for lack of trying — the fruity carnage in front of the dugout is evidence of this.
9. Hebrew Tattoos
Tattoos in a foreign language, especially in Hebrew, are incredibly popular with Biola students. If you have a Hebrew tattoo and step onto Biola’s campus, 10 to 20 Biola students will probably approach you just to let you know that your tattoo is very cool. Most Biola students cannot speak, write or read Hebrew, but they believe their social, intellectual and spiritual status is dramatically increased by the mere presence of a Hebrew tattoo.
10. TOMS Shoes
Much like Rainbows sandals, TOMS Shoes have taken the feet of Biola students by storm. With selling prices between $44 and $69, you wouldn’t think poor college students would be able to afford such footwear. Biola students justify the expense by pointing out that an impoverished child somewhere around the world (maybe one in Africa) now has a new pair of shoes. Biola students often have more than one pair of TOMS — to benefit multiple needy kids and to make sure their shoes always match their outfits.
