Between trying to balance school, social life and sleep, living in the dorms can get a bit hectic. Calvin’s long history of inter dorm pranks is one way students on campus blow off steam, and the class of 2028 is proving to be no exception. Only one month into the fall semester, students are living up to time-honored traditions and proving to be inventive in their own right.
Dorm mascots have been some of the favorite targets for pranks in years past. Although every dorm has a mascot, some mascots have a more notable presence in dorm culture than others. For almost half a century, an old air raid siren has embodied Schultze Eldersveld (SE) in the hearts and minds of its residents. The siren is a visible and audible representation of the SE spirit that dorm residents proudly play every Chaos Night.
“The siren is important because the siren IS Schultze Eldersveld,” Jonathan Anderson, the resident assistant on Third Schultze, said.
As the days until Chaos Night 2024 dwindled, word spread that the siren had been stolen. Stealing dorm mascots before Chaos Night is a harmless prank pulled every year on the Calvin campus. This year, SE was targeted due to its status as reigning champion for the past two years.
According to Anderson, speculation arose regarding the siren’s disappearance, with rumors suggesting that each dormitory at Calvin (except Kalsbeek-Huizenga-van Reken) had participated in the heist, passing the siren around as a trophy from one dorm to the next.
As more people became aware of the siren’s absence, leaders in the dorm began to question how the siren’s missing status might affect SE culture and traditions, Anderson said.
SE recovered its sirenjust before Chant Night began, and SE leadership has since implemented new precautions to secure a location where the siren can never be stolen again. Despite the initial uproar regarding the siren’s disappearance, Jonathan Anderson stated, “We don’t hold any sort of grudge or bad blood; this is the last thing we want moving forward.”
Following the return of the siren, the dorm won its third consecutive victory at Chaos Night. As Johnathan Anderson noted, the “incident” demonstrates the importance of community spirit over rivalry, reinforcing that the true essence of SE lies in unity and not just tradition.
Enduring mysteries
Sometimes, dorm pranks go beyond mascot theft. This past Saturday {DATE}, students returning to the VanReken dormitory from their retreat at Camp Roger were greeted with an unexpected surprise: a banana placed neatly in front of each door. As the days went by, reactions varied—some students eagerly consumed their bananas while others opted to leave them untouched. On the third floor, approximately 40+ bananas became a unique decoration, with residents hanging them from string lights or displaying them atop artwork.
Jace Porter, a first-floor resident, shared his thoughts on the unusual prank. “I thought it was really funny just because it was by everyone’s door. Once I learned it extended to every floor, I was confused about where they came from, but I admire the craftsmanship of it,” said Porter.
Porter emphasized how the prank brought the dorm together, stating, “This act brings the dorms together as they can relate or laugh at the situation.” When asked about the source of the bananas, he speculated, “I honestly thought they came from leftover food in the dining hall, but I really don’t know.”
