By Peter B. Gardner, ‘98, Associate Editor
It doesn’t take new students long to see that BYU has a culture all its own. Take its social scene, for instance. At BYU it’s perfectly reasonable to invite a date to go disco roller-skating (after picking out appropriate attire at D.I.), hike the Y, or go tunnel singing. At BYU all-night parties end promptly at midnight (1:30 a.m. on Fridays). Here a FHE group member can be a prospective mate. And only here can you find such delicacies as LaVell’s Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and Y Sparkle.
But BYU’s distinctive qualities don’t stop there. Here prayers are frequently offered in student dining centers and at nearly every campus event, including football and basketball games. Here testimony bearing is acceptable in any class, from algebra to zoology. At BYU it is likely to find as many students on campus on Sunday as on a school day. And nowhere else can so many clean-cut, modestly dressed young adults be found in one place. Anyway you look at it, BYU has a distinctive culture, one that often takes newcomers by surprise.
We want to hear your tales of first encountering the one-of-a-kind culture that is BYU. Please send your accounts to First Person, BYU Magazine, 209 UPB, Provo, UT 84602 (e-mail: firstperson@byu.edu; fax: [801] 378-5669).
Coming for winter: From the Damons (later the Lettermen) to the Garrens Comedy Troupe, dozens of student-created performing groups have graced the stages of BYU and Provo over the years. Whether you were a performer or a groupie or just a casual observer, we want to hear your stories about student performing groups.
