One of the greatest aspects of the college experience is being a part of a great college tradition. Traditions can provide a great sense of community, school spirit and overall well-being at a college with many students.

Here we present our ranking of the 100 Greatest College Traditions based on the history, amount of student participation, and overall uniqueness of the tradition. Many of these are long-standing traditions that students and alumni hold dearly. You won’t see any college sports traditions here. We’re saving those for our upcoming ranking of the 100 Greatest College Sports Traditions. Make sure you are signed up to receive our latest articles by email so you know when this ranking becomes available.

As administrations around the country attempt to clamp down on some of these sacred traditions, it's up to students to keep these traditions alive. These traditions are yours; it’s important to keep them going strong so they can be passed down to future generations.

1. Little 500 at Indiana University

The Little 500 is the largest collegiate bike race in the United States. Modeled after the Indianapolis 500, riders compete in four-person teams racing relay-style for 200 laps around a quarter-mile track at Bill Armstrong Stadium. First held in 1951, the event fills the stadium every year, drawing more than 25,000 spectators. Known as "The World's Greatest College Weekend," the town is full of events and non-stop partying the week leading up to the race that one could almost call it the greatest college week in America. The event is highlighted in the movie, “Breaking Away.”

2. Mifflin Street Block Party - University of Wisconsin

The block party to rule all block parties, the Mifflin Street Block Party has always been known as one of the biggest gatherings in the Midwest. A tradition started in 1969, the annual event takes place on the first Saturday in May. While the crowds were somewhat smaller in 2013 (5,000 in 2013 compared to 25,000 in 2012), the spirit of the festival is far from dead. This tradition can return to greatness with determination from students to keep the tradition going strong and if city officials can learn to let college students be college students.

3. Palmerfest at Ohio U

A legendary party at one of the nation’s top party schools. This annual block party on Palmer Street in Athens started in the early 1990s as a response to the university cancelling Spring Fest. The event regularly attracts thousands of students from universities around the area. The popularity of Palmerfest has spawned similar annual parties on other streets around the campus, including Oak Street (Oakfest), Mill Street (Millfest), and High Street (Highfest).

4. UCSB Halloween

Known as the "Biggest College Party in California," people come from all over to partake in this cherished tradition. It’s the event of the year at UCSB, often drawing crowds of 20,000-40,000 to Del Playa Drive. Halloween as a popular tradition at UCSB really took off in the late 1970s. By the early 1980s, word of the party had spread and students from all over California were coming to check out the Halloween celebration. While there has been a slight push to keep it local, UCSB students should embrace the fact they have one of the most coveted college traditions and do nothing but spread the good word to their friends to come see how they do Halloween in Isla Vista.

5. Ohio U Halloween

The annual Halloween block party on Court Street near the Ohio University campus is a tradition that dates back to 1974. The celebration typically attracts 20,000 as the small town of Athens nearly doubles in size. Arrests and citations during the celebration (mostly for alcohol and disorderly conduct) have at times reached as high as 200 in recent years.

6. Chico Float

The Labor Day weekend float is a long-standing college tradition at Chico State. Every Labor Day weekend, thousands of college students get together and float the Sacramento River near Chico, California. In the past, as many as 25,000 floaters have shown up to float the river, which ends up being a huge beach party at the end of the run. This beach, known as Beer Can Beach, is where the party ensues, with lots of drinking, music, and the typical girl going wild. Enjoying a beer and floating down a river with all your college buddies really gives a feeling of freedom and happiness at this feel good event. It is unfortunate the county is starting to limit beer consumption on the river. Really takes away from that “freedom” feeling in this small college town in the middle of nowhere. With the alcohol ban in effect, students now pregame before the float.

7. Dartmouth Winter Carnival

Once referred to as "the Mardi Gras of the North," this famous winter festival that dates back to 1910 is held every February and includes skiing competitions, a polar bear swim, a cappella and jazz concerts, a human dogsled race, a chili cook off, and a drag ball. Students also build large and elaborate carnival-themed snow sculptures in a competition on the college green. Great parties are thrown during this winter event, including the Alpha Chi Alpha Beach Party, a tradition since 1975. Some of the other wild winter events of the past have included the keg jump that was banned in 2000. The Psi Upsilon fraternity was forced by the administration to ban its annual Keg Jump event, marking the end of a 19-year tradition in which students attempted to jump over a line of kegs on ice skates.

8. State Street Halloween Party – University of Wisconsin

Halloween is one of the most well-known events in Madison, with a history that can be traced back to the 1970s. Even in the early 1980s, this Halloween tradition was attracting crowds of nearly 100,000. After seeing the crowd get out of hand, the city took over the event in 2006 by fencing in the public streets and charging admission. This tradition now sees about 25,000 people annually and features live band performances. For the size of this celebration, the overall festive and spirited mood of the event is impressive, making it one of the most coveted of traditions.

9. St. Patrick's Day at University of Dayton

Named the top St. Patrick's Day college celebration, it is rumored David Letterman ranked Dayton as one of the four best places in the world to celebrate the Irish holiday. In 2013, the St. Patrick’s Day celebration got so wild that police in riot gear had to come shut it down. When police are called in to break things up at 5:30am, you know you're at one crazy college party.

10. Green Beer Day at Miami University (Ohio)

Known as Miami University's biggest tradition, Green Beer Day is a day-long party involving lots of green dyed beer. The tradition started in 1952 and is celebrated annually on the Thursday before spring break. Students begin to drink as early as 3 to 5am on Green Beer Day, with bars in Oxford opening at 5am. To celebrate the tradition, students wear green clothing and proceed to drink throughout the day, some even attending class drunk.

11. Halloween on Franklin Street - UNC

The Halloween celebration at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a tradition that began in the 80s. What makes this tradition special is the creativity of Halloween revelers who strive for the most unique costumes possible. The annual event has seen crowds of 25,000-30,000 over the past few years as they focus on more of a homegrown Halloween after seeing over 80,000 partake in the 2007 celebration.

12. Unofficial at University of Illinois

Unofficial is the University of Illinois celebration of St. Patrick's Day before the actual holiday. The tradition was created in 1996 for students who wanted to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with their friends, after realizing the holiday was falling on the week of spring break. Students from all around the Midwest come to Unofficial as the event draws over 10,000 people annually.

13. Green Key Weekend at Dartmouth

For over 80 years Dartmouth has been celebrating Green Key Weekend, one of its most beloved traditions. Green key is a big party weekend in the spring that gives students a chance to enjoy the nicer weather with outdoor concerts, parties and events. The origins of Green Key can be traced back to the class of 1900 who put together House Parties Weekend, a four-day celebration at the end of May that featured sporting events, parties, and a Junior Prom. You’ll see epic parties over this weekend, from toga parties and block parties, to the longstanding Alpha Delta Lawn Party. Alpha Delta is famously known as the fraternity the movie “Animal House” was based on.

14. Breakfast Club at Purdue

Breakfast Club is a tradition where students (and alumni) wake up at 5am on Saturday morning and hit the bars dressed in costume. This is a Purdue tradition that is performed on weekends with big events on campus such as Grand Prix and Purdue football games. The roots of this tradition can be traced back to the 80s, when students would wake up so early to go to the bars that they would still be wearing pajamas, bath robes, and other sleepwear.

15. University of Chicago Scavenger Hunt

University of Chicago hosts the largest scavenger hunt in the world with teams competing to complete a list of nearly 300 items. The annual four-day team-based scavenger hunt is held in May and has been a UChicago tradition since 1987. The hunt will typically include at least one item that takes place on the university quad while students are in class, a party on Friday night, a road trip that can often require a travel distance of 1,000 miles or less, and a Scav Olympics competition. The 2011 Scav officially set the Guinness World Record for the world’s largest scavenger hunt.

16. Beer Bike at Rice University

Beer Bike is a combination of bicycle race and drinking competition dating back to 1957. Beer Bike began as a competitive event with the opening of the residential colleges. Each college has a team of cyclists and a team of chuggers, with 10 riders and 10 chuggers making up a team. A chugger has to down a drink before a cyclist can do a lap around the track. While most chuggers opt for water, the alumni team and students over 21 have the option of chugging beer in the competition. The race is preceded by a huge water balloon fight between the colleges.

17. Purdue Grand Prix

Known as “The Greatest Spectacle in College Racing,” Grand Prix is a go-kart race held annually at Purdue University since 1958. The race is open to all students, with residence halls, houses, and Greek organizations teaming up to build and race go-karts. Grand Prix is also a large event for alumni, who often come back to participate in the festivities. Every five years an alumni race is held where former students who have participated in previous Grand Prix races can return to compete. They also hold a Classic race, with karts built prior to 1986 taking part in a 15-lap contest. Though the actual race is held on Saturday, the whole week is full of parties and other events in anticipation of the Purdue tradition.

18. Hash Bash at University of Michigan

Hash Bash is held on the first Saturday of April on the University of Michigan campus. The pro-marijuana celebration began in 1972 in response to the ruling by the Michigan Supreme Court declaring the state’s marijuana statutes used to convict cultural activist John Sinclair for possession of two marijuana joints were unconstitutional. The event typically attracts close to 5,000 people.

19. UC Santa Cruz 4/20 Celebration

One of the largest gatherings in the nation for this unofficial holiday, thousands of students gather in the Porter Meadow at UC Santa Cruz to collectively smoke marijuana on 4/20. The campus tradition gained national attention in 2004 when Rolling Stone magazine published an article entitled, "The Most Stoned Students on the Most Stoned Day on the Most Stoned Campus on Earth."

20. St. Patrick's Day at West Virginia University

Take the top party school in the nation and throw in St. Patrick's Day and you have one college party to rule all college parties. St. Patrick's weekend at WVU gets so wild that students from other well-known party schools come to WVU to check out the celebration. Speaking of traditions, one can't go without mentioning West Virginia's knack for setting couches on fire; a frequent occurrence around Morgantown and very prevalent during St. Patrick's Day weekend (36 fires were set during the 2012 celebration).

21. Krispy Kreme Challenge at NC State

The Krispy Kreme Challenge is an annual foot race in which participants run a several mile road course to Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, eat one dozen doughnuts, and run back to the finish line in under one hour. The event began in 2004 and has steadily garnered attention with over 8,000 challengers in 2013.

22. Mayfest at Syracuse U

A tradition that originally began as a day off from classes to showcase students’ academic work has since turned into a spring festival with free food and beverages and live musical entertainment. The event is free for all SU students, and if you’re of age, they provide you with free beer as you enjoy the show. Since 2007, the celebration has also taken on a block party tradition, with students holding parties on the lawns of their off-campus houses and apartment buildings.

23. Veishea at Iowa State

VEISHEA is the largest student-run festival in the nation, bringing in tens of thousands of visitors to the campus each year for an annual week-long celebration. The name of the festival is an acronym for the colleges that existed at the university when the festival was founded in 1922 (Veterinary Medicine, Engineering, Industrial Science, Home Economics, and Agriculture). The celebration features a large parade and open-house demonstrations of university facilities and departments. The student revelry for the tradition is so great, VEISHEA has seen some wild times in the past resulting in riots in 1992, 1994 and 2004.

24. Fallfest at West Virginia University

FallFest welcomes WVU students in the fall with an evening of entertainment and musical performances after the first day of classes. The celebration is highlighted by a series of musical acts on the college green, with 20,000 students enjoying the show. A WVU tradition since 1995, the free event also features a dance party, film festival and comedy show.

25. Howard Yardfest

Howard hosts a heavily attended outdoor concert known as Yardfest during one of the most epic college homecoming celebrations in the country. Crowds for this annual show have gotten so large that it became a ticketed event in 2013, limiting the crowd size to 14,000.

26. Dillo Day at Northwestern University

Dillo Day is an all-day music festival held at Northwestern near the end of May that brings in some big name musical acts. Dillo Day began in 1972 when a group of Northwestern students from Texas held a celebration in honor of their state’s native creature, the Armadillo. Northwestern also holds a battle of the bands contest prior to Dillo Day, with the winning band getting to perform at the Dillo Day festival.

27. Mirror Lake Jump at Ohio State

Since 1990, Ohio State students have been jumping into Mirror Lake to kick off the week of the Ohio State vs. Michigan football game. The amount of school spirit displayed at the event is intense as students jump into the lake at freezing cold temperatures. The jump had been held every year on Thursdays from 1990 to 2009, but when the rivalry with Michigan was moved to the Saturday after Thanksgiving, students were forced to jump on Tuesday before they went home for break. The university tried to control the event in 2013, only to be met with much disagreement and protest from the students, who performed the jump two nights in a row.

28. St. Patrick’s Week at Missouri S&T

St. Patrick’s Day is a big deal at Missouri S&T, an engineering school located in Rolla. The 2013 celebration marked the 105th year of the tradition that pays homage to Saint Patrick, the Patron Saint of Engineers. While most set aside one day for this Irish tradition, Missouri S&T has a week-long celebration of St. Patrick that has become known as “The Best Ever.” A Saturday parade highlights a week full of fun, games and partying.

29. ECU Halloween

ECU has long been known for its Halloween celebration. They close off the main street so thousands of people in costumes can party. Some years have seen over 10,000 come out for the festivities.

30. Marathon Monday

While not an event specific to just college students, there are many colleges that surround the Boston Marathon course. Students, who are given the day off of school, traditionally partake in heavy drinking while cheering on the marathon runners. The Marathon Monday tradition at Wellesley College is the Scream Tunnel where thousands of women line about a quarter mile of the course and proceed to scream and offer kisses to runners. The Scream Tunnel is so loud it can be heard from a mile away. At Boston College, it is tradition for students to gather at Mile 21 of the course (near campus) and drink to the accomplishments of the runners while cheering.

31. Penn Spring Fling

Spring Fling is an annual festival at Penn held at the end of spring semester that gives students a chance to blow off some steam. A tradition started in 1973, it is known as “the biggest (and best) college festival on the East Coast.” Nearly 10,000 students partake in the event, which consists of a carnival with games and entertainment and a concert featuring high-profile bands.

32. Cornell Slope Day

Slope Day is the annual end-of-classes celebration held on the Libe Slope at Cornell, a tradition that started in 1901 as Spring Day. The day includes musical performances and a carnival with food and games.

33. Great Midwest Trivia Contest at Lawrence University

Lawrence University hosts the nation’s longest-running trivia contest, with 50 straight hours of trivia questions from Friday until Sunday. The trivia contest is broadcast live over the Internet so teams both on and off campus can participate. A tradition since 1966, the contest is held on the last weekend in January and begins at 10pm on Friday. Many students will attempt to stay awake for the full duration of the 50-hour trivia marathon. At midnight on Sunday, the teams with the highest scores in the on-campus and off-campus categories are declared the winners, receiving off-the-wall prizes like pink plastic flamingos and stainless-steel bedpans. Williams College also holds a notable trivia contest. The Williams Trivia Contest is a semi-annual event that began in 1966.

34. Michigan Technological University's Winter Carnival

First held in 1922, Winter Carnival is an annual celebration at MTU celebrating the large amount of snowfall received in the area. Some of the festivities include a tug-of-war competition on ice, snow volleyball, a beard competition, broomball, a human dogsled race, ice bowling, ice fishing, skit competitions, and the annual Sno Ball and pageant show for the Winter Carnival Queen.

The big attraction of Winter Carnival is the monumental snow statues that are built for a snow sculpting contest. There are two main contest categories: the one-nighter and the month-long competition, with the month-long competition snow sculptures being much more elaborate and detailed. Prior to the one-nighter, a set of speakers are put into a stereo made of snow and music is played for all of campus to enjoy throughout the night.

35. Deltopia at UC Santa Barbara

Students at UCSB used to hold an epic tradition known as Floatopia where thousands of students would take to the beaches and waters of the Pacific Ocean with floatation devices and plenty of alcohol. County officials banned the event by closing off the beach, citing environmental concerns. Deltopia is the outgrowth of Floatopia when the event was banned in 2009. Now it’s a block party on Del Playa Drive, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. In 2013, a record crowd of 15,000-18,000 attended the Deltopia event, nearly doubling in size from the year before.

36. ASU Undie Run

Every year to celebrate the end of classes, over 15,000 Arizona State students gather for their infamous undie run tradition. One of the nation’s hottest student bodies remove their clothes for charity and proceed to run around the Tempe campus half-naked. Undie runs are popular at other schools as well, notably UCLA, but Arizona State takes this college tradition by far.

37. Penn Relays

Established in 1895, the Penn Relays are America’s largest amateur track meet. It is an event that can bring in over 100,000 spectators each year, with fans getting an opportunity to see future Olympic stars. The Penn Relays are the world’s oldest and largest relay meet and a tradition that can be credited with popularizing the relay race.

38. Renn Fayre at Reed College

Renn Fayre is a campus-wide weekend celebration that marks the end of the academic year at Reed College. The tradition begins on Friday with the Thesis Parade: all graduating seniors burn their thesis notes in a huge bonfire and then parade around campus. The festival includes fireworks, music, food and drink, arts and crafts, and nude students covered in blue paint.

Reed also holds a Seventh Annual Nitrogen Day. This special Reed holiday traditionally falls on the Thursday before Renn Fayre and is another popular tradition at Reed. Nitrogen Day is a celebration of one of the world's most important, yet under-appreciated elements.

39. Middlebury Winter Carnival

In 2013, Middlebury hosted its 90th annual winter carnival, making it one of the oldest student-run winter carnivals in the country. The carnival features Nordic races and alpine events on Middlebury’s own ski area. The weekend festivities also include a bonfire, fireworks, snow sculptures, ice show, comedy show, and a carnival ball.

40. Hampshire Halloween

Also known as Trip or Treat, this party has gotten so wild it was once profiled in Rolling Stone magazine. They close off the campus at 5pm for this Halloween tradition and only allow students and their guests in. You’ll see fireworks and a music show at this annual celebration, ending with a midnight breakfast.

41. Sun God Festival at UC San Diego

Sungod is a music festival at the University of California - San Diego held every year since 1983. It has grown to become a day-long festival comprised of three stages, a street fair, and an inflatable area. The event draws approximately 20,000 people and continues to grow every year. In addition, the Junkyard Derby is held on the day of Sun God where students race downhill racers made from old junkyard parts.

42. DePauw Little 500

DePauw's Little 500 tradition began in 1956, five years after a similar event was created at Indiana University. Both are bicycle races inspired by the Indianapolis 500. Held in late April every year, cyclists compete in a week-long series of events, including Time Trials, Street Sprints, and the Little 5 Bicycle race. Combined scores for each individual rider and their respective teams determine individual and team champions. A Mini 500 tricycle race is also a DePauw tradition.

43. Colgate Spring Party Weekend

Rumor has it, Walter Cronkite once said that there are two places in the world he would never want his daughter to be: the DMZ in Vietnam and Colgate on Spring Party Weekend. The biggest party weekend of the year is held at the end of spring semester and features pig roasts, band performances and many Greek-sponsored parties. Dancefest is another celebrated spring event at Colgate, featuring a series of performances by talented dance groups and individuals on campus.

44. Carnegie Mellon Sweepstakes

The CMU Buggy Race, also known as Sweepstakes, is a race around Schenley Park, a city park bordering the Carnegie Mellon campus. Buggies (small, aerodynamic torpedo-shaped vehicles) are pushed in a relay-style race, with five runners taking turns pushing the buggy up slight hills and releasing to allow the vehicle, being steered by an individual inside, to navigate through downhill turns at speeds of up to 40mph. The event has been part of Carnegie Mellon’s annual Spring Festival since 1920. Have a look at the race in 2013.

45. THON at Penn State

THON is a two-day dance marathon that takes place every February at Penn State with the purpose of raising money to fight pediatric cancer. Started in 1973, nearly 15,000 students participate in the 46-hour no-sitting, no-sleeping dance marathon known as THON Weekend. They raised $12 Million during the 2013 THON. Other schools with notable dance marathons include Indiana and Northwestern.

46. Princeton Lawn Parties

Parties that feature live bands that are held simultaneously by all of the eating clubs at the start of classes and at the conclusion of the academic year.

47. The Naked Bike Ride at University of Vermont

A college tradition started in 1996, hundreds of students celebrate the end of classes by participating in a clothing-optional bike ride or run through campus.

48. Drake Relays

First held in 1910, the annual Drake Relays are regarded as one of the top track and field events in the United States. It is an event that attracts more than 40,000 spectators, 200+ college and university teams, and world-class athletes. Drake Relays transforms the campus into a huge celebration. The biggest student tradition for the event is Street Painting, an activity that usually ends with a large paint fight. Every student organization paints a square of concrete in accordance to a yearly theme along a street that runs through campus.

49. UC Davis Picnic Day

Picnic Day is the university's annual open house for current and prospective students, families, alumni, staff, faculty, and the Davis community where most departments put on exhibitions, competitions, and presentations. It is an event that has seen over 100,000 visitors a year and is UC Davis’ most celebrated day of the year with over 200 events ranging from the Doxie Derby (dachshund races, a 30+ year tradition), fashion show, Battle of the Bands competition, and a parade. The Battle of the Bands at UC Davis began on a Picnic Day in the early 1970's. School's marching bands battle it out in front of thousands of spectators. The 100th Picnic Day will be held in 2014.

50. Number Fest at Ohio U

Number Fest is a huge music festival at Ohio University established in 2004. Billed as "The Premier College Music Festival Experience," over 15,000 turn out for the BYOB event.

51. Quadfest at Radford University

Quadfest is Radford’s annual off-campus block party, a four-day celebration at the end of the semester. Quadfest was previously a school sponsored event up until 2006: the school had live bands and activities that took place on campus. Upon cancelation of the event, students organized their own Quadfest into the houses and streets off campus. The event has seen a large police presence, especially during the 2009 Quadfest, when officers wrote 600 citations and made 80 arrests.

52. Georgia Tech Races

In the 1960s, freshmen were often forced to ride tricycles around campus as a form of hazing. Georgia Tech's Mini 500, an annual tricycle race, was derived from this practice when it was established in 1969 over homecoming week. During homecoming, Georgia Tech also holds a Freshman Cake Race, a 100+ year old tradition. The race, which was once mandatory, is free of charge with the winners receiving cakes baked by faculty, alumni, and students. Georgia Tech also hosts the Pi Mile Road Race, a 5k run that has been held annually since its creation in 1973.

53. UT Roundup

University of Texas' biggest party weekend of the year, Round-Up began in 1930 when the school decided to “round up” alumni and entertain them with barbecues and music. Today, Round-Up is a big Greek event. Fraternities host parties all weekend, while sororities open up their houses for picnics and BBQs.

54. Fake Patty's Day at Kansas State

Fake Patty's Day was a tradition started by Kansas State students who wanted to celebrate the holiday before spring break. It's known as Fake Patty's Day because the event takes place a week or so before the real St. Patrick's Day.

55. Alpha Psi Rodeo at Auburn University

The Alpha Psi Round-Up was established by the men of Alpha Psi at Auburn’s College of Veterinary Medicine in 1965. The event draws about 15,000 people and is Auburn’s largest student fundraising event. The rodeo is followed by an evening concert.

56. Sycamore Tricycle Derby at Indiana State

What started in 1963 as a 10-lap race around the sidewalks of the Quad on children's tricycles has turned into an event that features men's and women's teams racing on specially built tricycles. The race is held annually the Friday before homecoming. The school also holds a tandem bicycle race as a part of Spring Week.

57. SIU Polar Bear

Polar Bear is a tradition that draws thousands to Carbondale for an all-day drinking event that turns into a winter homecoming of sorts. Students pack the bars at 10am on a Saturday in January and partake in crazy drink specials while enjoying the outdoor beer gardens on a cold winter day. The event started in 2001 as an attempt to set the record for most Coronas consumed in one day.

58. State Patty's Day at Penn State

State Patty’s Day is a student created celebration started in 2007 due to the fact that Saint Patrick's Day fell during spring break, which would have left students unable to celebrate the holiday with their college friends. In an effort to tame the rowdiness of the event, every one of downtown State College's 34 bars were paid $5000 to close or not sell booze during the 2013 celebration.

59. Elon Festivus

Started in 2005, Elon students play and party in a huge mud pit while enjoying kegs of beer and a massive pig roast.

60. Crawfest at Tulane

Crawfest is an annual music, food and arts festival located on Tulane University's uptown campus. Started in 2007, each year 10,000-12,000 students and others in the community enjoy 12 bands and 19,000+ pounds of crawfish.

61. Stanford Full Moon on the Quad

Full Moon on the Quad is a kissing tradition that dates back over 100 years at Stanford in which senior men exchange roses and kisses with freshmen women. Nowadays, the Quad is barricaded off and campus police check student IDs for those entering to ensure it stays a Stanford-only event. Tables providing mouthwash, mints, refreshments, condoms, and roses are also set up.

62. 40s on 40 at Columbia University

Regarded as a rite of passage for Columbia students, seniors drink a 40oz of malt liquor on the steps of the Low Library with forty days remaining until graduation. Hundreds of seniors toast bottles covered in brown paper bags to celebrate their looming graduation. They drink, sing the Alma Mater, and cheerfully mingle with fellow classmates. Another Columbia tradition held on the steps of the library is Bacchanal - an annual concert held during their spring festival.

63. Bates Winter Carnival

The Bates Winter Carnival features athletic competitions that include Nordic races, an ice skating party, concerts, a bonfire, a snow sculpture competition, cafeteria tray races, a late night breakfast, and the infamous Bates Puddle Jump where a hole is cut into the frozen campus lake so students can jump into the water. Each year a new theme is selected for the four-day festivities, which is kicked off with an Olympic-style torch relay. Bates will celebrate the 95th year of the carnival in 2014, the 2nd oldest collegiate winter carnival in the nation.

64. LDOC at Duke

LDOC is a celebration of the Last Day of Classes at Duke in which students party while listening to big-name music acts on campus. It's not too often you can bring in your own beer and drink in the quad, so Duke students take full advantage of this opportunity.

65. Pomona Ski-Beach

One day a year students at Pomona take full advantage of living in Southern California by heading to the mountains in the morning for some skiing and then finish the day relaxing on the beach. Not too many places have the luxury of doing both in one day, so students really look forward to a tradition where they can enjoy the best of both worlds.

66. Spirit Splash at UCF

Named one of the best homecoming traditions in the nation, students jump into the Reflection Pond on campus the Friday before the Homecoming football game. The tradition began in 1995 when the Student Body President was pushed into the pond and fellow students decided to followed suit. The marching band, cheerleaders, student athletes, and dancers all participate in the event, which is usually followed by a concert.

67. Bowdoin College Ivies

Ivies is a longstanding tradition at Bowdoin that typically turns into a spring break type weekend full of music and parties. The tradition of Ivy Day at Bowdoin began in 1865 when the junior class, following in the footsteps of a Yale ritual, planted ivy near the Chapel. There is a concert that takes place, but the highlight of the tradition is the different parties that take place over the weekend.

68. Oberlin Drag Ball

An event that first appeared in the late 1980s, Drag Ball transforms the Student Union into a nightclub complete with three dance floors playing different styles of music along with a main stage featuring a runway competition. Over 1,000 people attend the Oberlin Drag Ball, a tradition that Rolling Stone once called "the Mardi Gras of the Midwest."

69. Liquid Latex at Brandeis

Organized in 2001, Liquid Latex is a tradition unique to Brandeis involving latex, nudity and art. The show features dance and art performance groups and a runway to showcase amazing latex paint designs. The event alone was enough to receive honorable mention in Playboy magazine's ranking of party schools in 2010 for "Best College-Supported Art Project".

70. UCSB Extravaganza

At the end of spring quarter the school brings in some big name music acts for a huge music festival that attracts over 5,000 students. Started in 1979, the popularity of the festival has grown so large that in 2011 it became a UCSB student-only event.

71. Ace Miller Memorial Boxing Tournament at Tennessee

A big boxing weekend at University of Tennessee, the event is a fraternity boxing tournament where about 50 fraternity brothers compete in 11 different weight classes. Formerly known as the SAE Boxing Tournament, the 3-day bracketed tournament is attended by thousands of students and alumni in the spring. Sports Illustrated listed the tournament in their collection of "102 Things You Gotta Do Before You Graduate." They held 33rd annual bouts in 2013.

72. Dayton to Daytona

University of Dayton – Dayton to Daytona is an annual Dayton tradition for all sophomores, juniors and seniors to travel down to Daytona Beach and party spring break style all week with their fellow classmates. First started in 1978, the event draws over 2,500 students from Dayton.

73. Spring Weekend at Brown University

In a tradition that spans over 50 years, Brown’s Spring Weekend is highlighted with a large concert on the main green that attracts nearly 4,500 students. On the Thursday before Spring Weekend, a carnival is organized featuring free food, bouncy castles, mechanical bulls, and other carnival entertainment.

74. Streaking the Lawn at University of Virginia

Streaking the Lawn is one of the most celebrated traditions at UVA. It is said that before one takes a degree from the university, he or she must run naked from the steps of the Rotunda down the 740-foot Lawn, kiss the statue of Homer, and streak back up the Lawn. Although the tradition dates back to the 1930s, the sport of running the Lawn naked didn't gain popularity until the 1970s. The streaking practice is witnessed by many, known as lawnies, who typically prank the streakers by shining a spotlight on them while they run in the nude.

75. First Rain at UC Santa Cruz

A tradition started in the fall of 1989, First Rain is a naked run around campus during the first rainfall of the fall season. Students begin the run at Porter College and proceed to run through campus picking up other students along the way at the school’s other residential colleges, and ending again at Porter with a drum circle in the Porter Meadow.

76. Blarney Blowout at UMass Amherst

The Blarney Blowout is the annual St. Patrick's Day celebration at UMASS. There's a reason they call it ZooMass: In 2013, riot police had to show up to break up a party of over 2,000 students.

77. Orgo Night at Columbia

The day before the Organic Chemistry exam at Columbia University, the Columbia University Marching Band takes over the reading room at Butler Library to play and distract students from studying for finals. The tradition provides a short break from studying with an hour-long scripted series of jokes. Many other colleges hold traditions leading up to finals that help relieve stress and give students a chance to blow off some steam.

78. Extravaganja at UMass Amherst

Extravaganja is a 4/20 festival complete with bands, speakers, food, and thousands of people with the purpose of promoting the legalization of marijuana. The 22nd edition of Extravaganja was held in 2013.

79. University of Vermont 4/20

It is an annual tradition for many UVM students to gather on the campus green and celebrate the marijuana holiday with their peers. The day also typically falls close to Vermont's annual Spring Fest, a day full of great live bands.

80. Dolphy Day at Le Moyne College

Dolphy Day is a tradition that dates back to 1971 that gives students a surprise day off of classes. The actual date of the event is kept secret until the last possible moment when the event begins at about 2am, usually involving fireworks. Festivities of the day continue throughout the evening and include live music, a barbecue, dancing and partying.

81. Brown SexPowerGod

SexPowerGod is a party thrown by the Brown Queer Alliance that provides an environment for people to dance, have fun, and explore their sexuality in what typically becomes a semi-nude lingerie costume party. The event is held in a small exclusive venue, making the quest for tickets almost as notorious as the party: hundreds of people camp out in order to secure their name on the party guest list.

82. Cornell Dragon Day

Every spring, students from the College of Architecture dress in crazy costumes and parade around a giant homemade dragon on campus with many spectators following. The Dragon Day tradition dates back more than 100 years and typically has ended with some sort of bonfire.

83. Rice University Baker 13

First done in 1975, Baker 13 is a streaking tradition in which students run around campus wearing nothing but shoes and shaving cream. The tradition is performed at 10pm on the 13th and 31st of every month, with the biggest runs being on Halloween and the first and last run of the school year.

84. Michigan Mud Bowl

Every fall, for 80 years, the brothers of Sigma Alpha Epsilon at the University of Michigan have turned their lawn into a mud-filled football field to host a Greek system football tournament. The matchups get rather intense in this heavily attended Greek event that has received coverage in Sports Illustrated and ESPN. In addition, two sororities play each other during halftime.

85. USC Fountain Run

On the last Thursday of classes at USC it is tradition for seniors to celebrate by getting drunk and running through the 30 or so fountains on campus, with many sporting costumes and floatation devices.

86. Founder's Day at Vassar

Founder’s Day is a Vassar tradition honoring the birthday of founder Matthew Vassar, a brewer. First observed in 1866 during the college's first year, the day is celebrated on the Saturday closest to Vassar's birthday (April 29). The event kicks off with a toast in the brewer's name and students enjoy the day with carnival rides, music, free food and beer (They bring in a truck full of beer that is free for students to enjoy) and a firework show to end the festivities.

87. Penn Hey Day

Hey Day marks the moving up of juniors to the senior class at Penn, a tradition that stretches back to 1916. Juniors sport red shirts and strut along Locust Walk with canes and bite into Styrofoam hats as they proceed to College Hall to greet the President of the University. The outgoing and incoming senior class presidents give speeches and the juniors are officially declared seniors.

88. Tinker Day at Hollins University

One day in October Hollins students are treated to a surprise day off. Classes are cancelled and students and faculty climb nearby Tinker Mountain dressed in crazy costumes. After a lunch of fried chicken and Tinker Cake, students perform skits and sing songs before returning to campus. Observed since the 1880s, Tinker Day is the school's best known and loved tradition.

89. Knox College Flunk Day

A campus-wide surprise party, Flunk Day is a tradition that students eagerly anticipate, often guessing or making predictions of when it will be. The date of Flunk Day changes every year and is held a secret until the student body is woken up at 5am the day of and classes are canceled. Students spend the day enjoying music, a mud pit, a foam party, inflatable games, a student vs. faculty softball game, a comedy show, and a picnic lunch. The first Flunk Day of record was May 11, 1922.

90. Dooley's Week at Emory

Dooley’s Week is the annual week-long celebration of Dooley, Emory's unofficial mascot, featuring music, comedy, trivia, a Taste of Emory, and Dooley's Ball. Dooley makes an appearance on campus and excuses students from class with an entourage following him around (students dressed like Secret Service agents) for protection. Dooley's Week culminates with Dooley's Ball, a grand celebration in the center of campus on McDonough Field, where students dance and party in costumes.

91. Cadet versus Civilian Snowball Fight at Virginia Tech

The Cadet vs. Civilian Snowball Fight is one of the oldest and most cherished traditions at Virginia Tech. On the first big snow of the year over 1,500 students make way to the drill field to engage in an epic snow battle.

92. Hope College Pull

A 100+ year old tradition dating back to 1898, the Pull is an annual tug-of-war contest held across the Black River (150 feet wide) near Hope College. Named the "mother of all tugs-of-war" by Sports Illustrated, it is a competition between freshmen and sophomore classes. Each team has 18 students on the rope as “pullers” and another 18 act as guides and morale boosters, known as “moralers”. The longest pull was in 1977, lasting 3 hours and 51 minutes, ending in a draw. The shortest pull lasted two minutes and 40 seconds in 1956. Now, The Pull has a 3-hour time limit. The winning team gets bragging rights and jumps into the river afterwards to celebrate.

93. CalTech Ditch Day

Ditch Day is a tradition that goes back almost 100 years when seniors would take the day off and leave campus. Over the years seniors would return to find themselves victims of pranks when their rooms were filled with sand, a working car, a cement mixer and had furniture glued to the ceiling. In response, seniors began placing concrete blocks in front of their doors on the skip day. Concrete blocks gave way to elaborate puzzles to keep the underclassmen occupied. Now during the Ditch Day tradition, underclassmen are given the day off of classes to solve these puzzles and overcome other obstacles that seniors spend weeks creating. Given the smarts of students at CalTech, you can imagine how complex some of these puzzles can be. See for yourself by trying a few.

94. Carleton College Rotblatt

Carleton College has an annual marathon softball game that is played the same number of innings that the college has been in existence. The game lasts for hours as students play nearly 150 innings of softball, making it the world’s longest intramural sport. The one rule for this tradition is that players must have a beer in their hands at all times.

95. Oozefest at University at Buffalo SUNY

More than 1,500 University at Buffalo students and alumni participate in Oozefest, the nation’s largest collegiate mud volleyball tournament started in 1984. Every April, teams of six compete in a double elimination volleyball tournament of 128 teams on 16 courts at The Mud Pit. A costume contest is also conducted between participating teams.

96. Hudson Relays at Case Western Reserve

The Hudson Relays is an annual tradition at Case Western that was created in 1910 to commemorate the campus move from Hudson to Cleveland, Ohio. It is a 25 mile relay race between teams drawn from each class year. University tradition says that if a class wins the relay for each of its four years, the team will be rewarded with a champagne and steak dinner with the president of the university.

97. Primal Scream at Harvard

At midnight on the night before final exams begin, it is tradition for Harvard students to run around the Yard completely naked. The original Primal Scream began in the 1960s, when students would gather in the Yard or open their windows and yell for 10 minutes as a way to relieve stress. By the 1990s, the streaking aspect of the tradition had caught on. Typically, 100+ students bare it all for a lap around the Yard while hundreds of others watch and the Harvard Band plays. Participating in Primal Scream, along with having sex in the stacks and peeing on the John Harvard statue, are known as the three things every Harvard student must do before graduating.

98. UChicago Polar Bear Run

To celebrate Kuvia, the annual winter festival at UChicago since 1983, hundreds of nude or semi-nude Chicago students will run together across the Quad while onlookers cheer them on. Considering most college streaking traditions occur at night, we commend UChicago Polar Bear runners for their bravery of doing it in daylight. Other events during the week-long festival include ice sculpting, ice skating, hot chocolate get-togethers, musical performances, faculty fireside chats, early morning calisthenics led by University deans and a dance marathon.

99. Hampshire Keg Hunt

Every Easter morning, students at Hampshire College grab a mug and head out into the woods surrounding the college for an Easter Keg Hunt to search for kegs that have been hidden the day before.

100. Ski-down Procession at Middlebury

At the end of Middlebury’s winter term, students celebrate the end of their undergraduate careers with a ski-down procession at the Middlebury College Snow Bowl. About 100 students, who earn their degrees mid-year, ski down the mountain in cap and gown.

Honorable Mention

• Chilifest– While not technically a college event, Chilifest is attended by thousands of students from Texas A&M and other colleges in the area. Held in Snook, Texas, it is a big weekend event with plenty of chili, live country music, and beer. Started in 1991, the event brings in close to 50,000 people, mostly college students, for a two-day music festival on 15 acres of pastureland.
• Foxfield Races– Another non-university event, Foxfield Races is a big attraction for students and alumni at University of Virginia. It is a horse racing event students like to attend by getting all dressed up and turning it into a big tailgating event.
• Notre Dame Bookstore Basketball Tournament– Bookstore Basketball is a huge 5-on-5 outdoor basketball tournament started in 1972 that is open to students and faculty of Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s, and Holy Cross. In 1983, Bookstore Basketball set the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest five-on-five outdoor basketball tournament in the world with 512 teams.
• Southern Illinois University Regatta– The Cardboard Boat Regatta is an annual event held every spring at Campus Lake. While many cardboard boat races are held across the country, the idea first originated at SIU in 1974 when design students were required to build human-sized functional boats using only cardboard, glue, caulk, and a handful of other materials.
• Big Sub at Barnard College– Big Sub is an annual event at Barnard where a large 700+ foot long sub sandwich is prepared for students to enjoy. The length of the sub grows by one foot every year.
• Tour de Strand at UCLA– Every year dozens of students and alumni from the Anderson School of Management at UCLA do a pub crawl on bikes from Santa Monica to Redondo Beach along The Strand, a 22-mile paved bicycle path that runs along the Pacific Ocean.
• A well-known party school, Binghampton University has a notable Spring Fling and St. Patrick's Day celebration. The Binghampton Parade Day is a city-wide celebration of St. Patrick’s Day that attracts more than 50,000 students and locals.
• Homecoming and Bonfires– While considered more of a sports tradition because the events are essentially pep rallies for football games, Texas A&M, Baylor, and Dartmouth all hold notable bonfire celebrations with a long history. We’ll cover these in our upcoming ranking of college sports traditions. Sign up to receive our latest articles by email to be notified when this ranking becomes available.

Traditions are how college memories will be formed. Take them away, student satisfaction goes down and you have thousands of unhappy students paying $50K a year to go to school.

Limiting the amount of fun college students are allowed to have is kind of like prohibition; it doesn’t work. To keep their sanity, students need time to blow off steam with something away from the monotony of studying.

Traditions provide a sense of community on a campus with thousands of students. Without this feeling of belongingness, students begin to feel lost in the crowd and can end up transferring or even dropping out. These traditions mean a lot to students and alumni and to ban them outright leaves an empty void in the school spirit of every student.

As a follow-up to our recent ranking of college traditions, we’d like to showcase some of these historic traditions that would have been included in the list, had they not been banned by college administrators. Here are 10 traditions worth reviving.

Phi Psi 500 at Penn State

Photo via Penn State University Libraries

Penn State’s Phi Psi 500 began in the late 1960s and was a spring tradition that lasted for 25 years. The 1.1 mile foot race through the streets of downtown State College required 6 pit stops at designated bars along the course where runners had to chug either a beer or soda. It was a heavily anticipated spring event by both students and alumni, drawing about 1500 runners every year.

While the runners who took the race serious ran in the morning, the highlight of the event was the “Anything Goes” division where large groups of students would dress in costume, turning the race into a festive parade. At its peak, sidewalks were four to five people deep as 20,000-30,000 spectators turned out for the charity event.

The university later cracked down on the yearly tradition, removing beer from the festivities. The final Phi Psi 500 was seen in 1992. Here’s a video from the 1982 race, where more than 1,400 runners participated.

CU Boulder 4/20

For years, students at University of Colorado Boulder held an annual festive 4/20 celebration that brought together over 10,000 people to the campus quad. The university was so adamant about shutting down this tradition that they covered the quad with a pungent fish-based fertilizer to deter the crowds in 2012. Security is now brought in on 4/20 to keep non-students off campus and to block off the quad where the tradition typically takes place. With Colorado's recreational marijuana legalization coming into effect, this former tradition is just waiting to be resurrected.

Floatopia at UCSB

Floatopia was a spring tradition at UC Santa Barbara for a handful of years before it was shut down by authorities. Thousands of students would descend upon the beach near campus with their inflatable rafts and beverages of choice and float out to the large gathering of rafts offshore. As the event grew and started drawing college students from all over California, Floatopia saw its grand finale in 2009 when as many as 12,000 attended the beach party. In the following years, authorities blocked off access to the beach thereby ending the tradition. Floatopia morphed into what is now known as Deltopia (#35 on the list of greatest traditions), where students engage in a block party on the street overlooking the beach that they were forbidden to go on.

Pioneer Days at Chico State

Pioneer Days was a week-long Old West festival that took over the town of Chico, CA the first weekend in May. The tradition got its western influence when students formed a Whiskerino Club in 1925 and proceeded to dress in old west clothing and grow beards for the event.

Greeks and other organizations spent months preparing for their cherished spring celebration coordinating for the big parade, organizing Quad projects, prepping for Sweepstakes competition and Sheriff & Little Nell elections, on top of the big parties and shows that went on during the week.

In 1987 Playboy Magazine named Chico State the number one party school in the nation. A big reason for that was Pioneer Days, which was receiving national attention for its boisterous atmosphere on MTV and other news outlets. The publicity put the small town of Chico in the spotlight and drew thousands of out-of-town visitors to the event.

After the news came out that Chico State was the place to party, University President Robin Wilson met with city officials with the goal of ending the reputation by shutting down parties using police force. On April 25, 1987 police riots broke out just before the Pioneer Days celebration and President Wilson announced an end to the 70-year-old tradition, saying he took Pioneer Days "out back and shot it in the head."

Easters at UVA

As early as 1898, University of Virginia students celebrated Easter Week or "Easters." UVA, an all-male school at the time, set aside the week for a series of formal dances, hosting coeds from various women’s colleges in the area. (The college was not fully co-educational until the Class of 1976 arrived in 1972.)

In the 1960s, the fraternities became more involved in the event by hosting bands and parties in their houses. As the Easters celebration continued to expand over the years, thousands of students all over the East Coast began making the trip to UVA to celebrate what Playboy magazine called “the best party in America.”

"It was the experience of a lifetime, rivaling Woodstock, but in a collegiate way!"

Mud and alcohol was a big part of the Easters celebration. In the early 70s, students used fire hydrants to pump water into the Madison Bowl and the yards of fraternity houses to create large mud pits. The mud eventually found its way into the dorms and clogged up shower drains, flooding entire floors.

At its peak, an estimated 15,000 people packed the Mad Bowl in 1976 for the annual Easters tradition. After lasting nearly 100 years, the final Easters celebration was seen in 1982 when 7,000 people consumed over 200 kegs of beer within four hours. Easters had become too popular and out of control, according to the administration.

There was an effort to bring back the tradition the following year when the Inter-Fraternity Council created t-shirts in favor of reviving Easters, however, the movement failed to catch on. Following the cancelation, no major UVA events were scheduled in the spring as the administration feared the Easters tradition would come back. Now students blow off steam during Foxfields, an off-campus spring event receiving honorable mention in our 100 Greatest College Traditions list.

Bucknell House Party Weekend

House Party Weekend was a longtime tradition at Bucknell University. Students, along with their guests and alumni, would buy a wristband good for the entire weekend giving them access to dozens of parties on campus. The 72-hour celebration featured live bands, free food, BBQs, and all the alcohol one can consume. Food was served and prepared by the deans and a party event map was provided to students to inform them of the events going on around campus for the weekend celebration. The tradition was canceled after school administrators voiced concerns about House Party Weekend being too dangerous after 15 students were sent to the hospital with blood-alcohol content levels of 0.239 and above. The University President wrote a long essay canceling the event on August 1, 2013.

Bladderball at Yale

Bladderball was a game traditionally played by Yale students between 1954 and 1982. An event that typically preceded the Yale-Dartmouth football game, Bladderball involved rolling a 6-foot inflatable ball onto Yale's Old Campus where teams from each residential college would fight for possession of the ball. Teams were allowed to use any means necessary to seize control of the ball, leading to a vicious free-for-all that often spilled into the streets surrounding the campus. In 1982, several participants were injured during Bladderball giving Yale President A. Bartlett Giamatti reason to put an end to the tradition after a toll of minor injuries, property damage, near riots, and crazy pranks surrounding the tradition were too much to bear. A revival game was played in 2009 and briefly in 2011.

Princeton Nude Olympics

The Nude Olympics were, at a time, Princeton’s most popular tradition. Every year at midnight during the first snowfall, sophomores would streak around the courtyard of Holder Hall while the rest of the Princeton student body cheered them on.

The Nude Olympics started in the early 1970s and became a school tradition for nearly 30 years. In the beginning, the Olympics included a 60-yard dash, a wheelbarrow race, and a three-legged relay. It eventually transformed into running a few laps around the courtyard.

The nationwide streaking craze in 1974 heightened interest of the spectacle. Participation grew into the hundreds and by the 1980s the event started to garner national media attention. Many outside spectators began making their way to campus, along with photographers and camera crews seeking to capture the event.

Alcohol intake before the event was common and became a concern to the administration after the 1999 Nude Olympics, when 10 students required medical attention for alcohol consumption and injuries. University President Harold T. Shapiro suggested that the Nude Olympics be stopped before someone dies.

Following this recommendation a Committee on the Nude Olympics was established to “study the tradition” for two months. The committee found that it was the “combination of alcohol, the mob behavior, the nudity, the wet and cold, the slippery and icy conditions” that constituted the problem. Because of these safety issues the Board of Trustees voted to ban the tradition in April of 1999 out of concern for student health and potential liability. Any Princeton student who chooses to partake in the Nude Olympics now faces a one-year suspension.

Duke Tailgate

For many years, Duke Tailgate was a bigger deal than the football game itself. This wasn’t your typical tailgate; the event turned into a parking lot costume party with music, plenty of beer and thousands of students. It gave Greek and non-Greek students a place to mingle and blow off steam together, something much needed for class unity at a private school with around 15,000 students.

Administrators tried regulating Tailgate with certain restrictions for a few years before ultimately banning it. Tailgate was canceled in the fall of 2010 after a minor was found passed out in a Porta-Potty following the Tailgate for Duke’s victory over Virginia.

Fountain Day at UAlbany

Fountain Day is the much anticipated day of spring at UAlbany when the large fountain on campus gets turned on. Students come together in a spiritedcelebration at the center of the fountain as the water begins to flow. Fountain Day often included free food, music, games and t-shirts for attendees. In 2010 roughly 8,000 students attended Fountain Day, tossing beach balls and dancing to music in the fountain by musical guest Flo Rida.

Fountain Day was last officially celebrated in 2010 as the fountain has been under construction and the administration has urged students to come up with another tradition. You may remember the wild Kegs and Eggs party that initially got this tradition canceled. Students got a little too crazy on St. Patrick’s Day in 2011 and in response the upcoming Fountain Day was suspended.

One student, who had heard the tradition was "the funnest thing to do on campus," applied to the school because of Fountain Day, only to have it canceled before she could experience it. With no Fountain Day celebration over the past few years (due to administration ban and construction on the fountain), it's up to UAlbany students to revive this tradition back to glory.

Other Notable Banned College Traditions:

• Penn RowBottom
• Colorado State College Days
• Tufts Naked Quad Run
• Michigan Naked Mile
• Rutgersfest
• UCONN Spring Weekend
• Cedar Fest at Michigan State
• Texas AM Bonfire (moved off campus)
• Barbary Coast at UCSB
• UCSB Fight Night
• UC Davis Epic Quad Battle
• Hobo Day at Kansas
• Champagne on the Steps at Colby College
• Dartmouth TubeStock
• Dartmouth Keg Jump
• Dartmouth Rush the Field
• Lehigh Tearing Down the Posts
• Cal Berkeley Burial of Bourdon
• Cane Rush

Limited Time Offer:Download a free audiobook at Audible.com now.

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Time is a valuable commodity. This is especially true in college when you have to master the art of multitasking. It is important to take advantage of productivity tools that will help you succeed. One way to free up more of your time and increase your productivity is to make use of audio textbooks.

Audio books give you many options when it comes to being productive. Textbooks can be listened to on your commute, in the gym, while walking to class, or while relaxing on the quad. With MP3 being the format of choice for audio books, they can be listened to on any of your electronic devices.

Here we’ll go over a few ways you can get your textbook in audio format for easy listening on the go.

Check the Bookstore

First you’ll want to check the college bookstore. While they probably won’t have it in stock, perhaps they can special order the audio version for you. It’s very rare that you can get your audio textbook this way, but it wouldn’t hurt to stop by and check and see if they can point you in the right direction. Barnes & Noble operate most college bookstores so they do have access to a large amount of material.

Check Amazon.com

Another source to check is Amazon.

The Kindle device will read text out loud on books that have text-to-speech capability enabled. Unfortunately, due to DRM issues, most textbook publishers do not permit text-to-speech to be enabled. Find the Kindle version of the textbook you need on Amazon and see if the publisher has text-to-speech enabled. (If you don’t have a Kindle, these eTextbooks from Amazon can still be viewed on your laptop with Kindle for PC software.)

Options for other Books in Audio Format

If you need a certain novel for one of your classes, audio books can be purchased at Audible.com. If the book you seek is in the public domain, like many of the classics, you can find them at Project Gutenberg where many titles are available in plain text that can easily be input into a text-to-speech program. Some book titles have already been converted to audio and can be directly downloaded from their digital library.

Convert eTextbooks to Audio

Yet another option for getting your textbooks on audio is to purchase the digital version of the textbook at online retailers, notably CourseSmart and CengageBrain. While there can be a limit to the number of pages you're allowed to print, using an eTextbook you can open up your selected reading passage and Print to PDF. Once you have the reading selection in PDF form you can use the built-in Read Out Loud function in Adobe Reader.

With CourseSmart you can print up to 10 pages of the textbook at any time, so this could be useable for listening to your required readings. They do offer a free trial, so find the book you are looking for and see if this method will work for you.

Scan the Book and Convert to Audio

A last resort would be to simply buy a physical copy of the textbook and scan it. By using a scanner you can take advantage of OCR (Optical Character Recognition) technology, or text recognition software. Upon scanning, OCR software will take your scanned or other digital image and turn it into plain text that can be entered into any text-to-speech program.

A number of software products offer the ability to turn text into a downloadable audio MP3 file. Once you have downloaded the MP3, you can listen to the file on your PC, cell phone, iPod, or any other portable media player that supports the MP3 format.

You can scan the textbook into programs like Evernote and Microsoft OneNote that have built in OCR and text-to-speech technology. The advantage of scanning the textbook into Evernote is that it will allow you to search through the text of scanned documents, making it easy if you need to search for terms within the book.

Students with a Disability or Visual Impairment

Students with a documented disability should have an easier time obtaining an audio version of a textbook thanks to laws that require accessibility to all students. Copyright rules can be bent in these circumstances and alliances between colleges and publishers have taken form to help these students obtain textbooks in their preferred format.

Your college is more than likely partnered with Learning Ally or AccessText to ensure students with a disability have easy access to materials. Students who have a documented disability should reach out to their college’s Services for Students with Disabilities office for help in accessing audio textbooks.

Learning Ally, formerly known as Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic, is the largest source of recorded textbooks in the United States. There are currently about 150K titles in Learning Ally's online catalog, and any title not available can be recorded on request. These files can be downloaded or put onto a CD.

Other Sources for Audio Textbooks

• The Louis Database contains information on over 400,000 titles in accessible formats for those with a disability, including Braille, large print, sound recording and electronic files.
• Project Gutenberg has books in multiple file extensions, with some having already been converted to audio format. Another useful site for free public domain audio books is Librivox.org.
• If you can get your professor to adopt an open textbook, many titles can easily be made available in audio format.

Whether it’s beautiful architecture or an amazing view, just sitting in an inspiring place can instantly give one a greater sense of wisdom and well-being. Wide-open, beautifully-designed study spaces allow students to spread out, focus, and achieve serenity during times of stressful study. These are the places students come to do battle. From writing term papers to studying for finals, these locations provide the perfect environment to tackle any coursework.

Here we’ll showcase some of the greatest college study spaces around the country.

Harper Reading Room at University of Chicago

The vaulted Main Reading Room in the Arley D. Cathy Learning Center of Harper Library is one of the world's most beautiful reading rooms and a UChicago favorite. Open to students 24 hours a day, it is the perfect space for quiet individual study.

Suzzallo Library Graduate Reading Room at University of Washington

The Suzzallo Library is Collegiate Gothic architecture at its finest. The 250-foot long, 52-foot wide, 65-foot high Graduate Reading Room with a painted and stenciled timber-vaulted ceiling provides the perfect backdrop for silent study. Designed to provide inspiration to generations of students and faculty, one almost feels they need to hold their breath as they enter this “Cathedral of Learning.”

Hoose Philosophy Library at USC

The Hoose Philosophy Library is the oldest and one of the most beautiful libraries on the USC campus. Its main reading room, equipped with a stone fireplace, stained glass windows and a high cathedral ceiling, creates a very thought-provoking study environment. The Philosphy Library, the perfect place for any thinker, is surrounded by depictions and captions from many of the greatest philosophers of the world from the ancient Far East to modern America.

A. D. White Reading Room at Cornell University

Three tiers of crafted iron stacks offer a beautiful and open display of a prized collection of books in a room dedicated to Andrew Dickson White, Cornell University’s co-founder and first president.

Chancellor Green Rotunda at Princeton University

A two-story octagonal rotunda with symmetrical design offers a pleasant, yet not too visually distracting study space for students. The stained glass windows of the rotunda provide a natural octagonal dome light. A highly prized location, this space once served as a campus pub during the '70s.

Gargan Hall in Bapst Library, Boston College

Named after Boston College’s first president, Father John Bapst, the Bapst Library was designed to follow Oxford University’s English Gothic style. With stained glass windows throughout the building, students and visitors alike enjoy the beautiful interior of this masterpiece.

26th Floor Study Lounge at Student Village II, Boston U.

The advantage of BU having many tall buildings is that multiple study spaces can be found on campus with world-class views of the Boston skyline. The highest and perhaps the most panoramic view can be found at the top floor study lounge in Student Village II, BU’s luxurious dorm built in 2009. Some other study locations on campus with incredible views include the 9th floor study lounge in Shelton Hall, the Student Village I Student Atrium, and the Rome Lounge at the Law School.

Klarchek Information Commons, Loyola University Chicago

Seats in this mostly glass, openly designed building look out over Lake Michigan. Lots of windows bring in plenty of natural lighting, setting the tone for an excellent study space with a view in this LEED Silver rated building. With input from a roof-top weather station, an automated system opens windows and controls blinds to naturally ventilate and cool the interior.

Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Yale

Beinecke is the largest building in the world reserved exclusively for the preservation of rare books and manuscripts. The outer walls are made of translucent marble that transmits subdued lighting and shields direct sunlight. This transparent marble also gives the building an amber glow at night. A glass-encased book tower ascends six stories above ground setting a wonderful backdrop for any student hitting the books.

The Legal Research Building Reading Room at The University of Michigan Law School

This glorious Reading Room is graced with a 50-foot vaulted cathedral ceiling, stained-glass windows, oak wall paneling, and cork floors for quiet passage.

Ocean View at Pepperdine University

An outdoor study location provides fresh, clean air for clear thinking over a stuffy library. You’ll get plenty of it here with the ocean breeze coming off the Pacific Ocean in this amazing layout. Numerous patio seats in the Pepperdine Campus Center offer an incredible view of the Pacific Ocean.

Thompson Memorial Library at Vassar College

The west wing of the Thompson Memorial Library features beautiful architectural decoration with the remarkable Cornaro Window. Installed in 1906, the stained-glass window depicts a memorable event in the history of the higher education: the awarding of the first Doctorate to a woman.

Know of a college study space worthy of inclusion on this list? Submit your study location tips and pics to tips@campusgrotto.com. If we receive enough note-worthy submissions, we’ll run a Readers’ Choice version of beautiful study spaces.

With college starting soon, use this packing checklist as reference when determining what to bring.

Notes about what to bring to college:

1. Coordinate with your roommate on who is bringing what so you don't end up with two of the same thing. There is only so much room in a dorm.
2. Check with your college and see what items are allowed. Some dorms prohibit certain small appliances.

Quick tips for purchasing items for college:

1. Check campus classifieds and Craigslist. Buying used is obviously going to be cheaper.
2. Shop thrift stores and places like Target for more affordable items.
3. Order from Amazon.com and get it shipped for free with Amazon Prime (free for students for the first 6 months).

College Packing List: Items to Bring

Here are some more print-friendly versions of this college packing list for both Guys and Girls.

Choosing a backpack for college is an important decision when it comes to organization and mobility. You want a bag with multiple pockets to carry all your accessories, make them easily accessible, and protect all your gear. A bag that’s stylish and unique with enough room to hold textbooks, notebooks, chargers and a laptop, while still being comfortable to wear under a heavy load.

A new school year means new designs for students to choose from to fulfill all their carrying needs. With the above guidelines taken into consideration, here are our top recommended backpacks and messenger bags for college students.

1. OGIO Commuter Backpack

Lots of pockets and interior space make this bag ideal for students who carry many items to class. Pockets placed strategically throughout the backpack keep things neat and organized. Three padded sleeves hold a laptop, tablet, and smaller electronic devices evenly across the length of the pack giving the bag a thin profile. This design makes it useful for storing under your seat and is convenient when navigating through crowded areas and riding public transportation. For a backpack that can carry a hefty amount of college gear in a well-organized and protected manner, the OGIO Commuter is well priced at $100.

2. Timbuk2 Moby

Designed in San Francisco, Timbuk2 bags stand by their quality and ruggedness with a lifetime warranty. The toughness of their bags is essential for protecting devices. The Moby has an elevated laptop sleeve and a cushioned airmesh back support to keep your laptop off the ground and provide impact protection. Wide, well-padded shoulder straps (equipped with a bottle opener) provide added comfort under a heavy load of textbooks. The Moby has a very thin profile when carrying just a laptop, but its inner volume is able to expand enough to carry all your college essentials.

Brand new for fall, the Moby is one of the most affordable bags on this list, coming in at $55. The model we looked at was the stylish Black/Crimson bag, but other styles are available. Those who wish to fully customize the look of their bag can do so on select models on the Timbuk2 website.

3. Moleskine MyCloud Messenger Bag

While we prefer a bag with two straps to carry textbooks, the Mokeskine messenger bag is surprisingly very easy to carry over one shoulder. The hip belt also adds comfortable support and keeps the bag from moving around while biking or running to class. Multiple pockets and sleeves make this bag very efficient from a company that has been built upon providing products for organization and mobility. The bag is equipped with a padded laptop sleeve that holds notebooks up to 15 inches and leaves plenty of room for all your other college necessities.

4. Booq Cobra Pack

If you want a bag that fits, look to the Cobra from Booq. It’ll fit all your college gear and fit to your body with its ergonomically designed shoulder strap system with three adjustment points for ultimate carrying comfort. The bag is lightweight and roomy and makes a solid option for those who tote around larger laptops. Its unique square shape can easily carry a 17-inch MacBook Pro inside.

The bag offers superior protection as well. The separate laptop compartment is equipped with thick padding and a water-repellent zipper and outer shell. Other convenient features include two shoulder strap pockets to stow an iPhone and iPod touch and two zippered side pockets that open and expand to carry a water bottle or umbrella.

The price is a bit steep, but we wanted to include a backpack that can hold a 17-inch laptop while providing premium protection and fit the bill of what we look for in a college backpack. Those looking for a more affordable option should check out the Booq Boa Shift for 15-inch laptops.

5. Tylt Energi+ Backpack

The Energi+ Backpack features a built-in battery designed to charge tablets, smartphones, music players and other mobile devices on the go. The backpack can charge up to 3 devices at once via USB cable and provide enough juice to recharge a smartphone up to 4 times before the backpack battery needs recharging. The backpack was originally crowdfunded on Kickstarter in the summer of 2013 and has recently been made available on the Tylt.com website.

Power on the go makes this bag extremely travel friendly. While the built-in battery may add some extra weight to your bag (The backpack and battery together weigh 4.5 pounds), it can prove very useful for those who need constant charging throughout the day for getting work done in the quad, for use in that busy coffee shop where seats next to power outlets are at a premium, and for those who need to ensure their devices have enough juice to get through a day of classes.

The Energi+ Backpack has a large main compartment that can be used for book storage. The 1,450+ cubic inches of internal storage and 13 total pockets leave you with plenty of bag space. Another nice feature is the bag’s heavily padded straps: even when it’s full of gadgets and books, it won’t hurt your shoulders as you make the trek across campus.

6. STM Impulse

STM has bags that are designed to protect your digital cargo. Built for up to 15 inch devices, this laptop backpack retails for $100. The main compartment protects a laptop or tablet and the secondary pocket can be used to stash books and paperwork. This isn’t the most spacious bag for college textbooks, as it’s designed for the light packer and comes in weighing just 2.2 pounds. Those looking for an even more minimalistic approach to carrying should look at the STM Aero.

When it comes to having a successful college experience, the path for every student will be different. What works well for one student, may not work for another. But by following a few basic core principles, you can set yourself up for a fulfilling and successful time at college.

You can follow a countless number of college tips, but we’ve narrowed it down to the most important ones for those looking to get good grades and get the most out of college.

We’re not saying success is limited to following a dozen or so tips, but follow most of the advice listed below and you should find yourself doing quite well in college. We’ll keep it short and simple, but feel free to follow the links provided within each tip to dive deeper into each topic.

12 Habits of Successful Students

1. Successful students set short-term and long-term goals. Setting goals and reaching them really gets the momentum going on success. Having goals gives you a sense of direction in your college journey and pushes you to go forward when you’re not sure what lies ahead. Write down your goals: set long-term goals, set short-term goals, set short-term goals to get to your long-term goals.


2. Successful students stick to a weekly study schedule. College is all about mastering the art of multitasking. To do this you need to create some sort of schedule to follow and have a study plan.


3. Successful students know to use their biggest resource: The Professor. They do this by taking advantage of office hours. Students who utilize office hours often do better on exams and papers, are more satisfied with their classes, and feel more connected to their college, classroom and professor.


4. Successful students use effective study techniques and note-taking skills. This allows them to study better and more efficiently.


5. Successful students are active in activities outside the classroom, being involved in things like college clubs and intramural sports. Contrary to popular belief, extracurricular activities do not detract from academic performance; instead, they increase students' overall satisfaction with their college experience and contribute to learning.


6. Successful students get the most out of college by taking advantage of resources available on a college campus. They use resources, such as the library and career center, to their full advantage.


7. Successful students take on a balanced course load. They choose classes that vary in both size and difficulty.


8. Successful students go to class and participate. The most successful students sit in front and are involved in classroom discussions. Ask questions and contribute. It’s this kind of class participation that molds you into a better student (and gets you better grades).


9. Successful students use study tools to their advantage.


10. Successful students are prepared for exams. Knowing exams are a large percentage of the overall grade, successful students know how to properly study and prepare for exams.


11. Successful students form study groups with their peers. Students typically learn more when they study together in small groups than they do studying alone. By studying with others, you learn better by teaching. When you explain how to do something to someone, the material gets reinforced in your memory. The teaching benefit works the other way around too: You can seek guidance from your study group. If you don’t know something or if something is unclear, a fellow student can explain it to you.


12. Successful students get proper sleep. When it comes to college, you need to be well-rested, healthy, and mentally ready. The amount of sleep you get has a major impact on your academic performance. A sharp brain starts with getting proper sleep.

When it comes to landing that coveted job after college, you are told countless times you need to be networking. You are told to network, but are unsure of who to network with.

Where do you start?

You don't just go up to someone you don't know and ask for a job. Instead, establish connections with professionals in the field by going out and seeking their advice, insight, and opinion. Deep down people generally will want to help by providing their advice, especially when it comes to an aspiring college student such as yourself.

“It’s all about who you know”

This saying has been used as an excuse by frustrated job seekers for years. While true to an extent, you need to take the initiative and get yourself in front of the right people. This is how you get your foot in the door. Build your network and get valuable career advice by conducting an informational interview.

What is an Informational Interview?

An informational interview is a meeting in which you set up with a professional to ask for career and industry advice.

In an informational interview, you become the interviewer; asking questions and finding answers about a certain career, directly from the source. It’s about gaining knowledge and networking to gain contacts in the industry you can reach out to for guidance.

“Best results are often achieved well before you need a job, by consistently networking so that when you find yourself job-hunting you have a large network to work with.” - Erik Qualman

The term "informational interviewing" was invented by Richard Nelson Bolles, author of the best-selling career book, What Color Is Your Parachute? The author refers to the process as "trying on jobs to see if they fit you." Check out the book here.

Setting up an Informational Interview

Make an appointment with a professional in the community to gain insights into the prospective career you are seeking after college. Here you’ll be able to get an insider’s point of view in an information gathering session. No one else will be able to give you a better sense of a career than someone currently working in that position.

“If you want to go somewhere, it is best to find someone who has already been there.” - Robert Kiyosaki

Who to connect with:

What is your intended career? What are you considering? Find a professional in this career field you can meet with to conduct an informational interview. Identify companies that align with your career and find individuals within that organization who hold positions similar to the ones you are seeking. Maybe you already have a professional in the field in mind.

Where to find people to interview:

1. Access the alumni database to find a contact in the industry.
2. Ask the career center if there is someone they can recommend.
3. Tap one of your connections on LinkedIN.
4. Have a friend, co-worker, or professor refer or introduce you to someone in the field.

These meetings are usually set up through personal referral or an initial phone call or email. If you don’t like the idea of cold calling or emailing, you could set this meeting up in-person at the next career fair.

Don’t be shy. Have the guts to take the initiative when it comes to your career. Don’t be afraid of someone saying no.

Whether or not you know someone in the career field you are considering, feel free to reach out, ask questions, and get advice. It’s always great to have some type of mentor who can help lead you down the right path.

Remember: People will want to help you if you take the time to reach out in an honest way.

Planning out a Informational Interview

Schedule a 15-20 minute in-person or over the phone informational interview with a professional in the field of work you hope to get into after college. This meeting will help ensure you’re on track for your career and help you decide if the specific job is right for you.

Prepare for an informational interview by coming in with a list of questions specific to the job.

Example Questions to ask in an Informational Interview:

• What's a typical day at work like?
• What steps would you recommend I take to prepare to enter this field?
• How relevant to the job is your undergraduate major?
• What skills are most critical to have for this position?
• What aspects of the job do you find most challenging or fascinating?
• What are some positives and negatives of this career?
• What kind of background or training is desirable for this work? Are there certain classes or training programs you would recommend?

After the Interview

Pro Tip: A key question to ask at the end of the interview is, "Do you know anyone else I can talk to about this career?" This gives them a chance to refer you to other influential professionals in the field and helps you expand your network.

Don't forget to follow up after the meeting with a thank you letter or email. This helps solidify the contact and honestly thanks them for taking time out of their day to meet with you.

Benefits of doing an Informational Interview

Informational interviews give insight into what it's like working in your prospective career. You obtain a great deal of information about your career field and the skills needed to do the job effectively. They can even lead to further career experiences, like job shadowing and internships, or even a real job offer.

An informational interview is not a time to ask for a job. Interestingly enough, one out of every 12 informational interviews results in a job offer. These meetings also help you get your foot in the door for any job openings in the future. By conducting informational interviews, you can tap into the hidden job market (jobs openings that are unadvertised).

Because the vast majority of jobs are never advertised, you will uncover job openings that never make it to the job-board posting, want ad, or employment office.

Since you're not actually interviewing for a job, the experience will be less stressful and you'll be able to relax and focus on getting the most out of the informational session.

It’s a learning experience. Not only does it give you a deep understanding of what many professionals do on a daily basis, it’s a way to earn some great business contacts. Talking and meeting with professionals can also enhance your interview skills; this practice gets you comfortable in those types of situations.

“The richest people in the world look for and build networks, everyone else looks for work.” - Robert Kiyosaki

Informational Interview Resources

If you need additional guidance or further direction on setting up your informational interview, find more here.

College is all about mastering the art of multitasking. The best way to tackle this is to draw up a weekly plan of attack. To do this you need to create some sort of schedule to follow and have a study plan.

Setting up a Weekly Study Schedule

The key is to get it down in writing so you get yourself on a game plan for the week ahead.

Do this by dividing an entire week into hour-long segments and then filling in each hour with a specific activity. Breaking up parts of the day into a schedule and assigning certain work to certain times reduces the chance of procrastination and keeps you on auto-pilot for the week.

You can create your study plan using the weekly schedule worksheet we created for you.

Creating your Weekly Schedule

1. The first step is to block off the times you will be in class. Go through each day and mark in all your classes in their respective time slots.


2. The next step is to add in all other academic and social commitments for the week. This includes labs, office hours, discussions, study groups, and so on.


3. Mark in the times that you will be eating meals, working, exercising, in meetings or appointments, and any social functions you have planned.


4. Now that you have a better idea of the open times in your schedule, you can start scheduling in your study time. Decide how much study time you will set aside for each class. (A good rule of thumb is to allow for 2-3 hours for every hour spent in class.) Designate specific hours in the week for study time, reading, writing, and review. On your weekly schedule, mark what tasks you will complete during these study time slots and the order in which you will complete them.
   
   Utilize hour breaks in between classes: Squeeze in study hours in short periods of free time found throughout the day, as opposed to waiting to do everything at the end of the night. Evenings are often an ineffective time to study.
   
   When creating your study plan, think about the times when you are most productive. If you find it easier to study in the morning or have a hard time concentrating at night, schedule as much of your study time for the mornings as possible.
   
   Studying is more effective when done in shorter regular sessions rather than long sessions, so don't schedule too long of a study period for a single subject. Give yourself short breaks.
   
   
5. Leave some time blocks open for personal use or free time. This is where you can spend time socializing or connecting with family and friends.

Bonus Tip: Schedule time for review after your classes. Go over your class notes. Research has shown that reviewing new material within 24 hours of hearing it increases your retention of that material by about 60%. Schedule this review time immediately after your classes whenever possible. Use this time to edit and summarize your notes.

Effective Study Techniques

• Tackle harder work first. When you are fresh you will do better work. The problem with to-do lists is that the easiest tasks on the list usually get done first. Instead, do the more important tasks at the beginning when you are full of energy to work through and complete the task.
• If you're serious about getting work done, turn off gadgets and other technology: cell phones, email, texting, Facebook, Twitter, etc. Use a blocker if you have to.
• When writing a paper, use a word program that blocks all surrounding distractions on your computer. It removes all the screen clutter so you can clearly focus on your work.
• Consider using the Pomodoro Technique for getting things done more efficiently. This is where you set a timer and work on one specific task for 25 minutes straight, then take a short break.

Scheduling Large Projects

The key with big projects is to get started on them earlier than you think you need to.

Get started on long-term projects by breaking it into a set of small manageable steps. This way it won't hang over your head as one large looming project. This is a method some call the ESS method. Breaking down a large project into smaller tasks makes the assignment seem more feasible and you won't put off beginning the project as easily.

Tips for Creating a Weekly Schedule

• Pick a day of the week to set your weekly schedule. The most logical day to do this would be on a Sunday. Setting it on Sunday gets you mentally prepared for the week ahead. Get in a habit of creating some type of schedule every week.
• For best results, use both a semester and a weekly calendar. Review your syllabus and note important dates and assignments. Easily print out both monthly and weekly calendars here.
• Of course, creating a weekly schedule may not be necessary if you are already using a digital planner (like Google Calendar, for example), but some find better success in planning by physically writing down on paper what they need to get done for the week ahead.

"The key is not to prioritize what's on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities." - Stephen Covey

One of the greatest aspects of the college experience is being a part of a great college tradition. Traditions can provide a great sense of community, school spirit and overall well-being at a college with many students.

Here we present our ranking of the 100 Greatest College Traditions based on the history, amount of student participation, and overall uniqueness of the tradition. Many of these are long-standing traditions that students and alumni hold dearly. You won’t see any college sports traditions here. We’re saving those for our upcoming ranking of the 100 Greatest College Sports Traditions. Make sure you are signed up to receive our latest articles by email so you know when this ranking becomes available.

As administrations around the country attempt to clamp down on some of these sacred traditions, it's up to students to keep these traditions alive. These traditions are yours; it’s important to keep them going strong so they can be passed down to future generations.

1. Little 500 at Indiana University

The Little 500 is the largest collegiate bike race in the United States. Modeled after the Indianapolis 500, riders compete in four-person teams racing relay-style for 200 laps around a quarter-mile track at Bill Armstrong Stadium. First held in 1951, the event fills the stadium every year, drawing more than 25,000 spectators. Known as "The World's Greatest College Weekend," the town is full of events and non-stop partying the week leading up to the race that one could almost call it the greatest college week in America. The event is highlighted in the movie, “Breaking Away.”

2. Mifflin Street Block Party - University of Wisconsin

The block party to rule all block parties, the Mifflin Street Block Party has always been known as one of the biggest gatherings in the Midwest. A tradition started in 1969, the annual event takes place on the first Saturday in May. While the crowds were somewhat smaller in 2013 (5,000 in 2013 compared to 25,000 in 2012), the spirit of the festival is far from dead. This tradition can return to greatness with determination from students to keep the tradition going strong and if city officials can learn to let college students be college students.

3. Palmerfest at Ohio U

A legendary party at one of the nation’s top party schools. This annual block party on Palmer Street in Athens started in the early 1990s as a response to the university cancelling Spring Fest. The event regularly attracts thousands of students from universities around the area. The popularity of Palmerfest has spawned similar annual parties on other streets around the campus, including Oak Street (Oakfest), Mill Street (Millfest), and High Street (Highfest).

4. UCSB Halloween

Known as the "Biggest College Party in California," people come from all over to partake in this cherished tradition. It’s the event of the year at UCSB, often drawing crowds of 20,000-40,000 to Del Playa Drive. Halloween as a popular tradition at UCSB really took off in the late 1970s. By the early 1980s, word of the party had spread and students from all over California were coming to check out the Halloween celebration. While there has been a slight push to keep it local, UCSB students should embrace the fact they have one of the most coveted college traditions and do nothing but spread the good word to their friends to come see how they do Halloween in Isla Vista.

5. Ohio U Halloween

The annual Halloween block party on Court Street near the Ohio University campus is a tradition that dates back to 1974. The celebration typically attracts 20,000 as the small town of Athens nearly doubles in size. Arrests and citations during the celebration (mostly for alcohol and disorderly conduct) have at times reached as high as 200 in recent years.

6. Chico Float

The Labor Day weekend float is a long-standing college tradition at Chico State. Every Labor Day weekend, thousands of college students get together and float the Sacramento River near Chico, California. In the past, as many as 25,000 floaters have shown up to float the river, which ends up being a huge beach party at the end of the run. This beach, known as Beer Can Beach, is where the party ensues, with lots of drinking, music, and the typical girl going wild. Enjoying a beer and floating down a river with all your college buddies really gives a feeling of freedom and happiness at this feel good event. It is unfortunate the county is starting to limit beer consumption on the river. Really takes away from that “freedom” feeling in this small college town in the middle of nowhere. With the alcohol ban in effect, students now pregame before the float.

7. Dartmouth Winter Carnival

Once referred to as "the Mardi Gras of the North," this famous winter festival that dates back to 1910 is held every February and includes skiing competitions, a polar bear swim, a cappella and jazz concerts, a human dogsled race, a chili cook off, and a drag ball. Students also build large and elaborate carnival-themed snow sculptures in a competition on the college green. Great parties are thrown during this winter event, including the Alpha Chi Alpha Beach Party, a tradition since 1975. Some of the other wild winter events of the past have included the keg jump that was banned in 2000. The Psi Upsilon fraternity was forced by the administration to ban its annual Keg Jump event, marking the end of a 19-year tradition in which students attempted to jump over a line of kegs on ice skates.

8. State Street Halloween Party – University of Wisconsin

Halloween is one of the most well-known events in Madison, with a history that can be traced back to the 1970s. Even in the early 1980s, this Halloween tradition was attracting crowds of nearly 100,000. After seeing the crowd get out of hand, the city took over the event in 2006 by fencing in the public streets and charging admission. This tradition now sees about 25,000 people annually and features live band performances. For the size of this celebration, the overall festive and spirited mood of the event is impressive, making it one of the most coveted of traditions.

9. St. Patrick's Day at University of Dayton

Named the top St. Patrick's Day college celebration, it is rumored David Letterman ranked Dayton as one of the four best places in the world to celebrate the Irish holiday. In 2013, the St. Patrick’s Day celebration got so wild that police in riot gear had to come shut it down. When police are called in to break things up at 5:30am, you know you're at one crazy college party.

10. Green Beer Day at Miami University (Ohio)

Known as Miami University's biggest tradition, Green Beer Day is a day-long party involving lots of green dyed beer. The tradition started in 1952 and is celebrated annually on the Thursday before spring break. Students begin to drink as early as 3 to 5am on Green Beer Day, with bars in Oxford opening at 5am. To celebrate the tradition, students wear green clothing and proceed to drink throughout the day, some even attending class drunk.

11. Halloween on Franklin Street - UNC

The Halloween celebration at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a tradition that began in the 80s. What makes this tradition special is the creativity of Halloween revelers who strive for the most unique costumes possible. The annual event has seen crowds of 25,000-30,000 over the past few years as they focus on more of a homegrown Halloween after seeing over 80,000 partake in the 2007 celebration.

12. Unofficial at University of Illinois

Unofficial is the University of Illinois celebration of St. Patrick's Day before the actual holiday. The tradition was created in 1996 for students who wanted to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with their friends, after realizing the holiday was falling on the week of spring break. Students from all around the Midwest come to Unofficial as the event draws over 10,000 people annually.

13. Green Key Weekend at Dartmouth

For over 80 years Dartmouth has been celebrating Green Key Weekend, one of its most beloved traditions. Green key is a big party weekend in the spring that gives students a chance to enjoy the nicer weather with outdoor concerts, parties and events. The origins of Green Key can be traced back to the class of 1900 who put together House Parties Weekend, a four-day celebration at the end of May that featured sporting events, parties, and a Junior Prom. You’ll see epic parties over this weekend, from toga parties and block parties, to the longstanding Alpha Delta Lawn Party. Alpha Delta is famously known as the fraternity the movie “Animal House” was based on.

14. Breakfast Club at Purdue

Breakfast Club is a tradition where students (and alumni) wake up at 5am on Saturday morning and hit the bars dressed in costume. This is a Purdue tradition that is performed on weekends with big events on campus such as Grand Prix and Purdue football games. The roots of this tradition can be traced back to the 80s, when students would wake up so early to go to the bars that they would still be wearing pajamas, bath robes, and other sleepwear.

15. University of Chicago Scavenger Hunt

University of Chicago hosts the largest scavenger hunt in the world with teams competing to complete a list of nearly 300 items. The annual four-day team-based scavenger hunt is held in May and has been a UChicago tradition since 1987. The hunt will typically include at least one item that takes place on the university quad while students are in class, a party on Friday night, a road trip that can often require a travel distance of 1,000 miles or less, and a Scav Olympics competition. The 2011 Scav officially set the Guinness World Record for the world’s largest scavenger hunt.

16. Beer Bike at Rice University

Beer Bike is a combination of bicycle race and drinking competition dating back to 1957. Beer Bike began as a competitive event with the opening of the residential colleges. Each college has a team of cyclists and a team of chuggers, with 10 riders and 10 chuggers making up a team. A chugger has to down a drink before a cyclist can do a lap around the track. While most chuggers opt for water, the alumni team and students over 21 have the option of chugging beer in the competition. The race is preceded by a huge water balloon fight between the colleges.

17. Purdue Grand Prix

Known as “The Greatest Spectacle in College Racing,” Grand Prix is a go-kart race held annually at Purdue University since 1958. The race is open to all students, with residence halls, houses, and Greek organizations teaming up to build and race go-karts. Grand Prix is also a large event for alumni, who often come back to participate in the festivities. Every five years an alumni race is held where former students who have participated in previous Grand Prix races can return to compete. They also hold a Classic race, with karts built prior to 1986 taking part in a 15-lap contest. Though the actual race is held on Saturday, the whole week is full of parties and other events in anticipation of the Purdue tradition.

18. Hash Bash at University of Michigan

Hash Bash is held on the first Saturday of April on the University of Michigan campus. The pro-marijuana celebration began in 1972 in response to the ruling by the Michigan Supreme Court declaring the state’s marijuana statutes used to convict cultural activist John Sinclair for possession of two marijuana joints were unconstitutional. The event typically attracts close to 5,000 people.

19. UC Santa Cruz 4/20 Celebration

One of the largest gatherings in the nation for this unofficial holiday, thousands of students gather in the Porter Meadow at UC Santa Cruz to collectively smoke marijuana on 4/20. The campus tradition gained national attention in 2004 when Rolling Stone magazine published an article entitled, "The Most Stoned Students on the Most Stoned Day on the Most Stoned Campus on Earth."

20. St. Patrick's Day at West Virginia University

Take the top party school in the nation and throw in St. Patrick's Day and you have one college party to rule all college parties. St. Patrick's weekend at WVU gets so wild that students from other well-known party schools come to WVU to check out the celebration. Speaking of traditions, one can't go without mentioning West Virginia's knack for setting couches on fire; a frequent occurrence around Morgantown and very prevalent during St. Patrick's Day weekend (36 fires were set during the 2012 celebration).

21. Krispy Kreme Challenge at NC State

The Krispy Kreme Challenge is an annual foot race in which participants run a several mile road course to Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, eat one dozen doughnuts, and run back to the finish line in under one hour. The event began in 2004 and has steadily garnered attention with over 8,000 challengers in 2013.

22. Mayfest at Syracuse U

A tradition that originally began as a day off from classes to showcase students’ academic work has since turned into a spring festival with free food and beverages and live musical entertainment. The event is free for all SU students, and if you’re of age, they provide you with free beer as you enjoy the show. Since 2007, the celebration has also taken on a block party tradition, with students holding parties on the lawns of their off-campus houses and apartment buildings.

23. Veishea at Iowa State

VEISHEA is the largest student-run festival in the nation, bringing in tens of thousands of visitors to the campus each year for an annual week-long celebration. The name of the festival is an acronym for the colleges that existed at the university when the festival was founded in 1922 (Veterinary Medicine, Engineering, Industrial Science, Home Economics, and Agriculture). The celebration features a large parade and open-house demonstrations of university facilities and departments. The student revelry for the tradition is so great, VEISHEA has seen some wild times in the past resulting in riots in 1992, 1994 and 2004.

24. Fallfest at West Virginia University

FallFest welcomes WVU students in the fall with an evening of entertainment and musical performances after the first day of classes. The celebration is highlighted by a series of musical acts on the college green, with 20,000 students enjoying the show. A WVU tradition since 1995, the free event also features a dance party, film festival and comedy show.

25. Howard Yardfest

Howard hosts a heavily attended outdoor concert known as Yardfest during one of the most epic college homecoming celebrations in the country. Crowds for this annual show have gotten so large that it became a ticketed event in 2013, limiting the crowd size to 14,000.

26. Dillo Day at Northwestern University

Dillo Day is an all-day music festival held at Northwestern near the end of May that brings in some big name musical acts. Dillo Day began in 1972 when a group of Northwestern students from Texas held a celebration in honor of their state’s native creature, the Armadillo. Northwestern also holds a battle of the bands contest prior to Dillo Day, with the winning band getting to perform at the Dillo Day festival.

27. Mirror Lake Jump at Ohio State

Since 1990, Ohio State students have been jumping into Mirror Lake to kick off the week of the Ohio State vs. Michigan football game. The amount of school spirit displayed at the event is intense as students jump into the lake at freezing cold temperatures. The jump had been held every year on Thursdays from 1990 to 2009, but when the rivalry with Michigan was moved to the Saturday after Thanksgiving, students were forced to jump on Tuesday before they went home for break. The university tried to control the event in 2013, only to be met with much disagreement and protest from the students, who performed the jump two nights in a row.

28. St. Patrick’s Week at Missouri S&T

St. Patrick’s Day is a big deal at Missouri S&T, an engineering school located in Rolla. The 2013 celebration marked the 105th year of the tradition that pays homage to Saint Patrick, the Patron Saint of Engineers. While most set aside one day for this Irish tradition, Missouri S&T has a week-long celebration of St. Patrick that has become known as “The Best Ever.” A Saturday parade highlights a week full of fun, games and partying.

29. ECU Halloween

ECU has long been known for its Halloween celebration. They close off the main street so thousands of people in costumes can party. Some years have seen over 10,000 come out for the festivities.

30. Marathon Monday

While not an event specific to just college students, there are many colleges that surround the Boston Marathon course. Students, who are given the day off of school, traditionally partake in heavy drinking while cheering on the marathon runners. The Marathon Monday tradition at Wellesley College is the Scream Tunnel where thousands of women line about a quarter mile of the course and proceed to scream and offer kisses to runners. The Scream Tunnel is so loud it can be heard from a mile away. At Boston College, it is tradition for students to gather at Mile 21 of the course (near campus) and drink to the accomplishments of the runners while cheering.

31. Penn Spring Fling

Spring Fling is an annual festival at Penn held at the end of spring semester that gives students a chance to blow off some steam. A tradition started in 1973, it is known as “the biggest (and best) college festival on the East Coast.” Nearly 10,000 students partake in the event, which consists of a carnival with games and entertainment and a concert featuring high-profile bands.

32. Cornell Slope Day

Slope Day is the annual end-of-classes celebration held on the Libe Slope at Cornell, a tradition that started in 1901 as Spring Day. The day includes musical performances and a carnival with food and games.

33. Great Midwest Trivia Contest at Lawrence University

Lawrence University hosts the nation’s longest-running trivia contest, with 50 straight hours of trivia questions from Friday until Sunday. The trivia contest is broadcast live over the Internet so teams both on and off campus can participate. A tradition since 1966, the contest is held on the last weekend in January and begins at 10pm on Friday. Many students will attempt to stay awake for the full duration of the 50-hour trivia marathon. At midnight on Sunday, the teams with the highest scores in the on-campus and off-campus categories are declared the winners, receiving off-the-wall prizes like pink plastic flamingos and stainless-steel bedpans. Williams College also holds a notable trivia contest. The Williams Trivia Contest is a semi-annual event that began in 1966.

34. Michigan Technological University's Winter Carnival

First held in 1922, Winter Carnival is an annual celebration at MTU celebrating the large amount of snowfall received in the area. Some of the festivities include a tug-of-war competition on ice, snow volleyball, a beard competition, broomball, a human dogsled race, ice bowling, ice fishing, skit competitions, and the annual Sno Ball and pageant show for the Winter Carnival Queen.

The big attraction of Winter Carnival is the monumental snow statues that are built for a snow sculpting contest. There are two main contest categories: the one-nighter and the month-long competition, with the month-long competition snow sculptures being much more elaborate and detailed. Prior to the one-nighter, a set of speakers are put into a stereo made of snow and music is played for all of campus to enjoy throughout the night.

35. Deltopia at UC Santa Barbara

Students at UCSB used to hold an epic tradition known as Floatopia where thousands of students would take to the beaches and waters of the Pacific Ocean with floatation devices and plenty of alcohol. County officials banned the event by closing off the beach, citing environmental concerns. Deltopia is the outgrowth of Floatopia when the event was banned in 2009. Now it’s a block party on Del Playa Drive, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. In 2013, a record crowd of 15,000-18,000 attended the Deltopia event, nearly doubling in size from the year before.

36. ASU Undie Run

Every year to celebrate the end of classes, over 15,000 Arizona State students gather for their infamous undie run tradition. One of the nation’s hottest student bodies remove their clothes for charity and proceed to run around the Tempe campus half-naked. Undie runs are popular at other schools as well, notably UCLA, but Arizona State takes this college tradition by far.

37. Penn Relays

Established in 1895, the Penn Relays are America’s largest amateur track meet. It is an event that can bring in over 100,000 spectators each year, with fans getting an opportunity to see future Olympic stars. The Penn Relays are the world’s oldest and largest relay meet and a tradition that can be credited with popularizing the relay race.

38. Renn Fayre at Reed College

Renn Fayre is a campus-wide weekend celebration that marks the end of the academic year at Reed College. The tradition begins on Friday with the Thesis Parade: all graduating seniors burn their thesis notes in a huge bonfire and then parade around campus. The festival includes fireworks, music, food and drink, arts and crafts, and nude students covered in blue paint.

Reed also holds a Seventh Annual Nitrogen Day. This special Reed holiday traditionally falls on the Thursday before Renn Fayre and is another popular tradition at Reed. Nitrogen Day is a celebration of one of the world's most important, yet under-appreciated elements.

39. Middlebury Winter Carnival

In 2013, Middlebury hosted its 90th annual winter carnival, making it one of the oldest student-run winter carnivals in the country. The carnival features Nordic races and alpine events on Middlebury’s own ski area. The weekend festivities also include a bonfire, fireworks, snow sculptures, ice show, comedy show, and a carnival ball.

40. Hampshire Halloween

Also known as Trip or Treat, this party has gotten so wild it was once profiled in Rolling Stone magazine. They close off the campus at 5pm for this Halloween tradition and only allow students and their guests in. You’ll see fireworks and a music show at this annual celebration, ending with a midnight breakfast.

41. Sun God Festival at UC San Diego

Sungod is a music festival at the University of California - San Diego held every year since 1983. It has grown to become a day-long festival comprised of three stages, a street fair, and an inflatable area. The event draws approximately 20,000 people and continues to grow every year. In addition, the Junkyard Derby is held on the day of Sun God where students race downhill racers made from old junkyard parts.

42. DePauw Little 500

DePauw's Little 500 tradition began in 1956, five years after a similar event was created at Indiana University. Both are bicycle races inspired by the Indianapolis 500. Held in late April every year, cyclists compete in a week-long series of events, including Time Trials, Street Sprints, and the Little 5 Bicycle race. Combined scores for each individual rider and their respective teams determine individual and team champions. A Mini 500 tricycle race is also a DePauw tradition.

43. Colgate Spring Party Weekend

Rumor has it, Walter Cronkite once said that there are two places in the world he would never want his daughter to be: the DMZ in Vietnam and Colgate on Spring Party Weekend. The biggest party weekend of the year is held at the end of spring semester and features pig roasts, band performances and many Greek-sponsored parties. Dancefest is another celebrated spring event at Colgate, featuring a series of performances by talented dance groups and individuals on campus.

44. Carnegie Mellon Sweepstakes

The CMU Buggy Race, also known as Sweepstakes, is a race around Schenley Park, a city park bordering the Carnegie Mellon campus. Buggies (small, aerodynamic torpedo-shaped vehicles) are pushed in a relay-style race, with five runners taking turns pushing the buggy up slight hills and releasing to allow the vehicle, being steered by an individual inside, to navigate through downhill turns at speeds of up to 40mph. The event has been part of Carnegie Mellon’s annual Spring Festival since 1920. Have a look at the race in 2013.

45. THON at Penn State

THON is a two-day dance marathon that takes place every February at Penn State with the purpose of raising money to fight pediatric cancer. Started in 1973, nearly 15,000 students participate in the 46-hour no-sitting, no-sleeping dance marathon known as THON Weekend. They raised $12 Million during the 2013 THON. Other schools with notable dance marathons include Indiana and Northwestern.

46. Princeton Lawn Parties

Parties that feature live bands that are held simultaneously by all of the eating clubs at the start of classes and at the conclusion of the academic year.

47. The Naked Bike Ride at University of Vermont

A college tradition started in 1996, hundreds of students celebrate the end of classes by participating in a clothing-optional bike ride or run through campus.

48. Drake Relays

First held in 1910, the annual Drake Relays are regarded as one of the top track and field events in the United States. It is an event that attracts more than 40,000 spectators, 200+ college and university teams, and world-class athletes. Drake Relays transforms the campus into a huge celebration. The biggest student tradition for the event is Street Painting, an activity that usually ends with a large paint fight. Every student organization paints a square of concrete in accordance to a yearly theme along a street that runs through campus.

49. UC Davis Picnic Day

Picnic Day is the university's annual open house for current and prospective students, families, alumni, staff, faculty, and the Davis community where most departments put on exhibitions, competitions, and presentations. It is an event that has seen over 100,000 visitors a year and is UC Davis’ most celebrated day of the year with over 200 events ranging from the Doxie Derby (dachshund races, a 30+ year tradition), fashion show, Battle of the Bands competition, and a parade. The Battle of the Bands at UC Davis began on a Picnic Day in the early 1970's. School's marching bands battle it out in front of thousands of spectators. The 100th Picnic Day will be held in 2014.

50. Number Fest at Ohio U

Number Fest is a huge music festival at Ohio University established in 2004. Billed as "The Premier College Music Festival Experience," over 15,000 turn out for the BYOB event.

51. Quadfest at Radford University

Quadfest is Radford’s annual off-campus block party, a four-day celebration at the end of the semester. Quadfest was previously a school sponsored event up until 2006: the school had live bands and activities that took place on campus. Upon cancelation of the event, students organized their own Quadfest into the houses and streets off campus. The event has seen a large police presence, especially during the 2009 Quadfest, when officers wrote 600 citations and made 80 arrests.

52. Georgia Tech Races

In the 1960s, freshmen were often forced to ride tricycles around campus as a form of hazing. Georgia Tech's Mini 500, an annual tricycle race, was derived from this practice when it was established in 1969 over homecoming week. During homecoming, Georgia Tech also holds a Freshman Cake Race, a 100+ year old tradition. The race, which was once mandatory, is free of charge with the winners receiving cakes baked by faculty, alumni, and students. Georgia Tech also hosts the Pi Mile Road Race, a 5k run that has been held annually since its creation in 1973.

53. UT Roundup

University of Texas' biggest party weekend of the year, Round-Up began in 1930 when the school decided to “round up” alumni and entertain them with barbecues and music. Today, Round-Up is a big Greek event. Fraternities host parties all weekend, while sororities open up their houses for picnics and BBQs.

54. Fake Patty's Day at Kansas State

Fake Patty's Day was a tradition started by Kansas State students who wanted to celebrate the holiday before spring break. It's known as Fake Patty's Day because the event takes place a week or so before the real St. Patrick's Day.

55. Alpha Psi Rodeo at Auburn University

The Alpha Psi Round-Up was established by the men of Alpha Psi at Auburn’s College of Veterinary Medicine in 1965. The event draws about 15,000 people and is Auburn’s largest student fundraising event. The rodeo is followed by an evening concert.

56. Sycamore Tricycle Derby at Indiana State

What started in 1963 as a 10-lap race around the sidewalks of the Quad on children's tricycles has turned into an event that features men's and women's teams racing on specially built tricycles. The race is held annually the Friday before homecoming. The school also holds a tandem bicycle race as a part of Spring Week.

57. SIU Polar Bear

Polar Bear is a tradition that draws thousands to Carbondale for an all-day drinking event that turns into a winter homecoming of sorts. Students pack the bars at 10am on a Saturday in January and partake in crazy drink specials while enjoying the outdoor beer gardens on a cold winter day. The event started in 2001 as an attempt to set the record for most Coronas consumed in one day.

58. State Patty's Day at Penn State

State Patty’s Day is a student created celebration started in 2007 due to the fact that Saint Patrick's Day fell during spring break, which would have left students unable to celebrate the holiday with their college friends. In an effort to tame the rowdiness of the event, every one of downtown State College's 34 bars were paid $5000 to close or not sell booze during the 2013 celebration.

59. Elon Festivus

Started in 2005, Elon students play and party in a huge mud pit while enjoying kegs of beer and a massive pig roast.

60. Crawfest at Tulane

Crawfest is an annual music, food and arts festival located on Tulane University's uptown campus. Started in 2007, each year 10,000-12,000 students and others in the community enjoy 12 bands and 19,000+ pounds of crawfish.

61. Stanford Full Moon on the Quad

Full Moon on the Quad is a kissing tradition that dates back over 100 years at Stanford in which senior men exchange roses and kisses with freshmen women. Nowadays, the Quad is barricaded off and campus police check student IDs for those entering to ensure it stays a Stanford-only event. Tables providing mouthwash, mints, refreshments, condoms, and roses are also set up.

62. 40s on 40 at Columbia University

Regarded as a rite of passage for Columbia students, seniors drink a 40oz of malt liquor on the steps of the Low Library with forty days remaining until graduation. Hundreds of seniors toast bottles covered in brown paper bags to celebrate their looming graduation. They drink, sing the Alma Mater, and cheerfully mingle with fellow classmates. Another Columbia tradition held on the steps of the library is Bacchanal - an annual concert held during their spring festival.

63. Bates Winter Carnival

The Bates Winter Carnival features athletic competitions that include Nordic races, an ice skating party, concerts, a bonfire, a snow sculpture competition, cafeteria tray races, a late night breakfast, and the infamous Bates Puddle Jump where a hole is cut into the frozen campus lake so students can jump into the water. Each year a new theme is selected for the four-day festivities, which is kicked off with an Olympic-style torch relay. Bates will celebrate the 95th year of the carnival in 2014, the 2nd oldest collegiate winter carnival in the nation.

64. LDOC at Duke

LDOC is a celebration of the Last Day of Classes at Duke in which students party while listening to big-name music acts on campus. It's not too often you can bring in your own beer and drink in the quad, so Duke students take full advantage of this opportunity.

65. Pomona Ski-Beach

One day a year students at Pomona take full advantage of living in Southern California by heading to the mountains in the morning for some skiing and then finish the day relaxing on the beach. Not too many places have the luxury of doing both in one day, so students really look forward to a tradition where they can enjoy the best of both worlds.

66. Spirit Splash at UCF

Named one of the best homecoming traditions in the nation, students jump into the Reflection Pond on campus the Friday before the Homecoming football game. The tradition began in 1995 when the Student Body President was pushed into the pond and fellow students decided to followed suit. The marching band, cheerleaders, student athletes, and dancers all participate in the event, which is usually followed by a concert.

67. Bowdoin College Ivies

Ivies is a longstanding tradition at Bowdoin that typically turns into a spring break type weekend full of music and parties. The tradition of Ivy Day at Bowdoin began in 1865 when the junior class, following in the footsteps of a Yale ritual, planted ivy near the Chapel. There is a concert that takes place, but the highlight of the tradition is the different parties that take place over the weekend.

68. Oberlin Drag Ball

An event that first appeared in the late 1980s, Drag Ball transforms the Student Union into a nightclub complete with three dance floors playing different styles of music along with a main stage featuring a runway competition. Over 1,000 people attend the Oberlin Drag Ball, a tradition that Rolling Stone once called "the Mardi Gras of the Midwest."

69. Liquid Latex at Brandeis

Organized in 2001, Liquid Latex is a tradition unique to Brandeis involving latex, nudity and art. The show features dance and art performance groups and a runway to showcase amazing latex paint designs. The event alone was enough to receive honorable mention in Playboy magazine's ranking of party schools in 2010 for "Best College-Supported Art Project".

70. UCSB Extravaganza

At the end of spring quarter the school brings in some big name music acts for a huge music festival that attracts over 5,000 students. Started in 1979, the popularity of the festival has grown so large that in 2011 it became a UCSB student-only event.

71. Ace Miller Memorial Boxing Tournament at Tennessee

A big boxing weekend at University of Tennessee, the event is a fraternity boxing tournament where about 50 fraternity brothers compete in 11 different weight classes. Formerly known as the SAE Boxing Tournament, the 3-day bracketed tournament is attended by thousands of students and alumni in the spring. Sports Illustrated listed the tournament in their collection of "102 Things You Gotta Do Before You Graduate." They held 33rd annual bouts in 2013.

72. Dayton to Daytona

University of Dayton – Dayton to Daytona is an annual Dayton tradition for all sophomores, juniors and seniors to travel down to Daytona Beach and party spring break style all week with their fellow classmates. First started in 1978, the event draws over 2,500 students from Dayton.

73. Spring Weekend at Brown University

In a tradition that spans over 50 years, Brown’s Spring Weekend is highlighted with a large concert on the main green that attracts nearly 4,500 students. On the Thursday before Spring Weekend, a carnival is organized featuring free food, bouncy castles, mechanical bulls, and other carnival entertainment.

74. Streaking the Lawn at University of Virginia

Streaking the Lawn is one of the most celebrated traditions at UVA. It is said that before one takes a degree from the university, he or she must run naked from the steps of the Rotunda down the 740-foot Lawn, kiss the statue of Homer, and streak back up the Lawn. Although the tradition dates back to the 1930s, the sport of running the Lawn naked didn't gain popularity until the 1970s. The streaking practice is witnessed by many, known as lawnies, who typically prank the streakers by shining a spotlight on them while they run in the nude.

75. First Rain at UC Santa Cruz

A tradition started in the fall of 1989, First Rain is a naked run around campus during the first rainfall of the fall season. Students begin the run at Porter College and proceed to run through campus picking up other students along the way at the school’s other residential colleges, and ending again at Porter with a drum circle in the Porter Meadow.

76. Blarney Blowout at UMass Amherst

The Blarney Blowout is the annual St. Patrick's Day celebration at UMASS. There's a reason they call it ZooMass: In 2013, riot police had to show up to break up a party of over 2,000 students.

77. Orgo Night at Columbia

The day before the Organic Chemistry exam at Columbia University, the Columbia University Marching Band takes over the reading room at Butler Library to play and distract students from studying for finals. The tradition provides a short break from studying with an hour-long scripted series of jokes. Many other colleges hold traditions leading up to finals that help relieve stress and give students a chance to blow off some steam.

78. Extravaganja at UMass Amherst

Extravaganja is a 4/20 festival complete with bands, speakers, food, and thousands of people with the purpose of promoting the legalization of marijuana. The 22nd edition of Extravaganja was held in 2013.

79. University of Vermont 4/20

It is an annual tradition for many UVM students to gather on the campus green and celebrate the marijuana holiday with their peers. The day also typically falls close to Vermont's annual Spring Fest, a day full of great live bands.

80. Dolphy Day at Le Moyne College

Dolphy Day is a tradition that dates back to 1971 that gives students a surprise day off of classes. The actual date of the event is kept secret until the last possible moment when the event begins at about 2am, usually involving fireworks. Festivities of the day continue throughout the evening and include live music, a barbecue, dancing and partying.

81. Brown SexPowerGod

SexPowerGod is a party thrown by the Brown Queer Alliance that provides an environment for people to dance, have fun, and explore their sexuality in what typically becomes a semi-nude lingerie costume party. The event is held in a small exclusive venue, making the quest for tickets almost as notorious as the party: hundreds of people camp out in order to secure their name on the party guest list.

82. Cornell Dragon Day

Every spring, students from the College of Architecture dress in crazy costumes and parade around a giant homemade dragon on campus with many spectators following. The Dragon Day tradition dates back more than 100 years and typically has ended with some sort of bonfire.

83. Rice University Baker 13

First done in 1975, Baker 13 is a streaking tradition in which students run around campus wearing nothing but shoes and shaving cream. The tradition is performed at 10pm on the 13th and 31st of every month, with the biggest runs being on Halloween and the first and last run of the school year.

84. Michigan Mud Bowl

Every fall, for 80 years, the brothers of Sigma Alpha Epsilon at the University of Michigan have turned their lawn into a mud-filled football field to host a Greek system football tournament. The matchups get rather intense in this heavily attended Greek event that has received coverage in Sports Illustrated and ESPN. In addition, two sororities play each other during halftime.

85. USC Fountain Run

On the last Thursday of classes at USC it is tradition for seniors to celebrate by getting drunk and running through the 30 or so fountains on campus, with many sporting costumes and floatation devices.

86. Founder's Day at Vassar

Founder’s Day is a Vassar tradition honoring the birthday of founder Matthew Vassar, a brewer. First observed in 1866 during the college's first year, the day is celebrated on the Saturday closest to Vassar's birthday (April 29). The event kicks off with a toast in the brewer's name and students enjoy the day with carnival rides, music, free food and beer (They bring in a truck full of beer that is free for students to enjoy) and a firework show to end the festivities.

87. Penn Hey Day

Hey Day marks the moving up of juniors to the senior class at Penn, a tradition that stretches back to 1916. Juniors sport red shirts and strut along Locust Walk with canes and bite into Styrofoam hats as they proceed to College Hall to greet the President of the University. The outgoing and incoming senior class presidents give speeches and the juniors are officially declared seniors.

88. Tinker Day at Hollins University

One day in October Hollins students are treated to a surprise day off. Classes are cancelled and students and faculty climb nearby Tinker Mountain dressed in crazy costumes. After a lunch of fried chicken and Tinker Cake, students perform skits and sing songs before returning to campus. Observed since the 1880s, Tinker Day is the school's best known and loved tradition.

89. Knox College Flunk Day

A campus-wide surprise party, Flunk Day is a tradition that students eagerly anticipate, often guessing or making predictions of when it will be. The date of Flunk Day changes every year and is held a secret until the student body is woken up at 5am the day of and classes are canceled. Students spend the day enjoying music, a mud pit, a foam party, inflatable games, a student vs. faculty softball game, a comedy show, and a picnic lunch. The first Flunk Day of record was May 11, 1922.

90. Dooley's Week at Emory

Dooley’s Week is the annual week-long celebration of Dooley, Emory's unofficial mascot, featuring music, comedy, trivia, a Taste of Emory, and Dooley's Ball. Dooley makes an appearance on campus and excuses students from class with an entourage following him around (students dressed like Secret Service agents) for protection. Dooley's Week culminates with Dooley's Ball, a grand celebration in the center of campus on McDonough Field, where students dance and party in costumes.

91. Cadet versus Civilian Snowball Fight at Virginia Tech

The Cadet vs. Civilian Snowball Fight is one of the oldest and most cherished traditions at Virginia Tech. On the first big snow of the year over 1,500 students make way to the drill field to engage in an epic snow battle.

92. Hope College Pull

A 100+ year old tradition dating back to 1898, the Pull is an annual tug-of-war contest held across the Black River (150 feet wide) near Hope College. Named the "mother of all tugs-of-war" by Sports Illustrated, it is a competition between freshmen and sophomore classes. Each team has 18 students on the rope as “pullers” and another 18 act as guides and morale boosters, known as “moralers”. The longest pull was in 1977, lasting 3 hours and 51 minutes, ending in a draw. The shortest pull lasted two minutes and 40 seconds in 1956. Now, The Pull has a 3-hour time limit. The winning team gets bragging rights and jumps into the river afterwards to celebrate.

93. CalTech Ditch Day

Ditch Day is a tradition that goes back almost 100 years when seniors would take the day off and leave campus. Over the years seniors would return to find themselves victims of pranks when their rooms were filled with sand, a working car, a cement mixer and had furniture glued to the ceiling. In response, seniors began placing concrete blocks in front of their doors on the skip day. Concrete blocks gave way to elaborate puzzles to keep the underclassmen occupied. Now during the Ditch Day tradition, underclassmen are given the day off of classes to solve these puzzles and overcome other obstacles that seniors spend weeks creating. Given the smarts of students at CalTech, you can imagine how complex some of these puzzles can be. See for yourself by trying a few.

94. Carleton College Rotblatt

Carleton College has an annual marathon softball game that is played the same number of innings that the college has been in existence. The game lasts for hours as students play nearly 150 innings of softball, making it the world’s longest intramural sport. The one rule for this tradition is that players must have a beer in their hands at all times.

95. Oozefest at University at Buffalo SUNY

More than 1,500 University at Buffalo students and alumni participate in Oozefest, the nation’s largest collegiate mud volleyball tournament started in 1984. Every April, teams of six compete in a double elimination volleyball tournament of 128 teams on 16 courts at The Mud Pit. A costume contest is also conducted between participating teams.

96. Hudson Relays at Case Western Reserve

The Hudson Relays is an annual tradition at Case Western that was created in 1910 to commemorate the campus move from Hudson to Cleveland, Ohio. It is a 25 mile relay race between teams drawn from each class year. University tradition says that if a class wins the relay for each of its four years, the team will be rewarded with a champagne and steak dinner with the president of the university.

97. Primal Scream at Harvard

At midnight on the night before final exams begin, it is tradition for Harvard students to run around the Yard completely naked. The original Primal Scream began in the 1960s, when students would gather in the Yard or open their windows and yell for 10 minutes as a way to relieve stress. By the 1990s, the streaking aspect of the tradition had caught on. Typically, 100+ students bare it all for a lap around the Yard while hundreds of others watch and the Harvard Band plays. Participating in Primal Scream, along with having sex in the stacks and peeing on the John Harvard statue, are known as the three things every Harvard student must do before graduating.

98. UChicago Polar Bear Run

To celebrate Kuvia, the annual winter festival at UChicago since 1983, hundreds of nude or semi-nude Chicago students will run together across the Quad while onlookers cheer them on. Considering most college streaking traditions occur at night, we commend UChicago Polar Bear runners for their bravery of doing it in daylight. Other events during the week-long festival include ice sculpting, ice skating, hot chocolate get-togethers, musical performances, faculty fireside chats, early morning calisthenics led by University deans and a dance marathon.

99. Hampshire Keg Hunt

Every Easter morning, students at Hampshire College grab a mug and head out into the woods surrounding the college for an Easter Keg Hunt to search for kegs that have been hidden the day before.

100. Ski-down Procession at Middlebury

At the end of Middlebury’s winter term, students celebrate the end of their undergraduate careers with a ski-down procession at the Middlebury College Snow Bowl. About 100 students, who earn their degrees mid-year, ski down the mountain in cap and gown.

Honorable Mention

• Chilifest– While not technically a college event, Chilifest is attended by thousands of students from Texas A&M and other colleges in the area. Held in Snook, Texas, it is a big weekend event with plenty of chili, live country music, and beer. Started in 1991, the event brings in close to 50,000 people, mostly college students, for a two-day music festival on 15 acres of pastureland.
• Foxfield Races– Another non-university event, Foxfield Races is a big attraction for students and alumni at University of Virginia. It is a horse racing event students like to attend by getting all dressed up and turning it into a big tailgating event.
• Notre Dame Bookstore Basketball Tournament– Bookstore Basketball is a huge 5-on-5 outdoor basketball tournament started in 1972 that is open to students and faculty of Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s, and Holy Cross. In 1983, Bookstore Basketball set the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest five-on-five outdoor basketball tournament in the world with 512 teams.
• Southern Illinois University Regatta– The Cardboard Boat Regatta is an annual event held every spring at Campus Lake. While many cardboard boat races are held across the country, the idea first originated at SIU in 1974 when design students were required to build human-sized functional boats using only cardboard, glue, caulk, and a handful of other materials.
• Big Sub at Barnard College– Big Sub is an annual event at Barnard where a large 700+ foot long sub sandwich is prepared for students to enjoy. The length of the sub grows by one foot every year.
• Tour de Strand at UCLA– Every year dozens of students and alumni from the Anderson School of Management at UCLA do a pub crawl on bikes from Santa Monica to Redondo Beach along The Strand, a 22-mile paved bicycle path that runs along the Pacific Ocean.
• A well-known party school, Binghampton University has a notable Spring Fling and St. Patrick's Day celebration. The Binghampton Parade Day is a city-wide celebration of St. Patrick’s Day that attracts more than 50,000 students and locals.
• Homecoming and Bonfires– While considered more of a sports tradition because the events are essentially pep rallies for football games, Texas A&M, Baylor, and Dartmouth all hold notable bonfire celebrations with a long history. We’ll cover these in our upcoming ranking of college sports traditions. Sign up to receive our latest articles by email to be notified when this ranking becomes available.

Also see: Banned College Traditions worth Reviving

Traditions are how college memories will be formed. Take them away, student satisfaction goes down and you have thousands of unhappy students paying $50K a year to go to school.

Limiting the amount of fun college students are allowed to have is kind of like prohibition; it doesn’t work. To keep their sanity, students need time to blow off steam with something away from the monotony of studying.

Traditions provide a sense of community on a campus with thousands of students. Without this feeling of belongingness, students begin to feel lost in the crowd and can end up transferring or even dropping out. These traditions mean a lot to students and alumni and to ban them outright leaves an empty void in the school spirit of every student.

As a follow-up to our recent ranking of college traditions, we’d like to showcase some of these historic traditions that would have been included in the list, had they not been banned by college administrators. Here are 10 traditions worth reviving.

Phi Psi 500 at Penn State

Photo via Penn State University Libraries

Penn State’s Phi Psi 500 began in the late 1960s and was a spring tradition that lasted for 25 years. The 1.1 mile foot race through the streets of downtown State College required 6 pit stops at designated bars along the course where runners had to chug either a beer or soda. It was a heavily anticipated spring event by both students and alumni, drawing about 1500 runners every year.

While the runners who took the race serious ran in the morning, the highlight of the event was the “Anything Goes” division where large groups of students would dress in costume, turning the race into a festive parade. At its peak, sidewalks were four to five people deep as 20,000-30,000 spectators turned out for the charity event.

The university later cracked down on the yearly tradition, removing beer from the festivities. The final Phi Psi 500 was seen in 1992. Here’s a video from the 1982 race, where more than 1,400 runners participated.

CU Boulder 4/20

For years, students at University of Colorado Boulder held an annual festive 4/20 celebration that brought together over 10,000 people to the campus quad. The university was so adamant about shutting down this tradition that they covered the quad with a pungent fish-based fertilizer to deter the crowds in 2012. Security is now brought in on 4/20 to keep non-students off campus and to block off the quad where the tradition typically takes place. With Colorado's recreational marijuana legalization coming into effect, this former tradition is just waiting to be resurrected.

Floatopia at UCSB

Floatopia was a spring tradition at UC Santa Barbara for a handful of years before it was shut down by authorities. Thousands of students would descend upon the beach near campus with their inflatable rafts and beverages of choice and float out to the large gathering of rafts offshore. As the event grew and started drawing college students from all over California, Floatopia saw its grand finale in 2009 when as many as 12,000 attended the beach party. In the following years, authorities blocked off access to the beach thereby ending the tradition. Floatopia morphed into what is now known as Deltopia (#35 on the list of greatest traditions), where students engage in a block party on the street overlooking the beach that they were forbidden to go on.

Pioneer Days at Chico State

Pioneer Days was a week-long Old West festival that took over the town of Chico, CA the first weekend in May. The tradition got its western influence when students formed a Whiskerino Club in 1925 and proceeded to dress in old west clothing and grow beards for the event.

Greeks and other organizations spent months preparing for their cherished spring celebration coordinating for the big parade, organizing Quad projects, prepping for Sweepstakes competition and Sheriff & Little Nell elections, on top of the big parties and shows that went on during the week.

Photo: Quad projects turned the campus into a Wild West town during Pioneer Days.

In 1987 Playboy Magazine named Chico State the number one party school in the nation. A big reason for that was Pioneer Days, which was receiving national attention for its boisterous atmosphere on MTV and other news outlets. The publicity put the small town of Chico in the spotlight and drew thousands of out-of-town visitors to the event.

After the news came out that Chico State was the place to party, University President Robin Wilson met with city officials with the goal of ending the reputation by shutting down parties using police force. On April 25, 1987 police riots broke out just before the Pioneer Days celebration and President Wilson announced an end to the 70-year-old tradition, saying he took Pioneer Days "out back and shot it in the head."

Easters at UVA

As early as 1898, University of Virginia students celebrated Easter Week or "Easters." UVA, an all-male school at the time, set aside the week for a series of formal dances, hosting coeds from various women’s colleges in the area. (The college was not fully co-educational until the Class of 1976 arrived in 1972.)

In the 1960s, the fraternities became more involved in the event by hosting bands and parties in their houses. As the Easters celebration continued to expand over the years, thousands of students all over the East Coast began making the trip to UVA to celebrate what Playboy magazine called “the best party in America.”

Photo by Ed Roseberry

"It was the experience of a lifetime, rivaling Woodstock, but in a collegiate way!"

Mud and alcohol was a big part of the Easters celebration. In the early 70s, students used fire hydrants to pump water into the Madison Bowl and the yards of fraternity houses to create large mud pits. The mud eventually found its way into the dorms and clogged up shower drains, flooding entire floors.

At its peak, an estimated 15,000 people packed the Mad Bowl in 1976 for the annual Easters tradition. After lasting nearly 100 years, the final Easters celebration was seen in 1982 when 7,000 people consumed over 200 kegs of beer within four hours. Easters had become too popular and out of control, according to the administration.

There was an effort to bring back the tradition the following year when the Inter-Fraternity Council created t-shirts in favor of reviving Easters, however, the movement failed to catch on. Following the cancelation, no major UVA events were scheduled in the spring as the administration feared the Easters tradition would come back. Now students blow off steam during Foxfields, an off-campus spring event receiving honorable mention in our 100 Greatest College Traditions list.

Bucknell House Party Weekend

Some say the game of beer pong originated at Bucknell. Photo by Michael Minor

House Party Weekend was a longtime tradition at Bucknell University. Students, along with their guests and alumni, would buy a wristband good for the entire weekend giving them access to dozens of parties on campus. The 72-hour celebration featured live bands, free food, BBQs, and all the alcohol one can consume. Food was served and prepared by the deans and a party event map was provided to students to inform them of the events going on around campus for the weekend celebration. The tradition was canceled after school administrators voiced concerns about House Party Weekend being too dangerous after 15 students were sent to the hospital with blood-alcohol content levels of 0.239 and above. The University President wrote a long essay canceling the event on August 1, 2013.

Bladderball at Yale

Bladderball was a game traditionally played by Yale students between 1954 and 1982. An event that typically preceded the Yale-Dartmouth football game, Bladderball involved rolling a 6-foot inflatable ball onto Yale's Old Campus where teams from each residential college would fight for possession of the ball. Teams were allowed to use any means necessary to seize control of the ball, leading to a vicious free-for-all that often spilled into the streets surrounding the campus. In 1982, several participants were injured during Bladderball giving Yale President A. Bartlett Giamatti reason to put an end to the tradition after a toll of minor injuries, property damage, near riots, and crazy pranks surrounding the tradition were too much to bear. A revival game was played in 2009 and briefly in 2011.

Princeton Nude Olympics

The Nude Olympics were, at a time, Princeton’s most popular tradition. Every year at midnight during the first snowfall, sophomores would streak around the courtyard of Holder Hall while the rest of the Princeton student body cheered them on.

Holder Hall courtyard where the Nude Olympics took place.

The Nude Olympics started in the early 1970s and became a school tradition for nearly 30 years. In the beginning, the Olympics included a 60-yard dash, a wheelbarrow race, and a three-legged relay. It eventually transformed into running a few laps around the courtyard.

The nationwide streaking craze in 1974 heightened interest of the spectacle. Participation grew into the hundreds and by the 1980s the event started to garner national media attention. Many outside spectators began making their way to campus, along with photographers and camera crews seeking to capture the event.

Alcohol intake before the event was common and became a concern to the administration after the 1999 Nude Olympics, when 10 students required medical attention for alcohol consumption and injuries. University President Harold T. Shapiro suggested that the Nude Olympics be stopped before someone dies.

Following this recommendation a Committee on the Nude Olympics was established to “study the tradition” for two months. The committee found that it was the “combination of alcohol, the mob behavior, the nudity, the wet and cold, the slippery and icy conditions” that constituted the problem. Because of these safety issues the Board of Trustees voted to ban the tradition in April of 1999 out of concern for student health and potential liability. Any Princeton student who chooses to partake in the Nude Olympics now faces a one-year suspension.

Duke Tailgate

For many years, Duke Tailgate was a bigger deal than the football game itself. This wasn’t your typical tailgate; the event turned into a parking lot costume party with music, plenty of beer and thousands of students. It gave Greek and non-Greek students a place to mingle and blow off steam together, something much needed for class unity at a private school with around 15,000 students.

Administrators tried regulating Tailgate with certain restrictions for a few years before ultimately banning it. Tailgate was canceled in the fall of 2010 after a minor was found passed out in a Porta-Potty following the Tailgate for Duke’s victory over Virginia.

Fountain Day at UAlbany

Fountain Day is the much anticipated day of spring at UAlbany when the large fountain on campus gets turned on. Students come together in a spiritedcelebration at the center of the fountain as the water begins to flow. Fountain Day often included free food, music, games and t-shirts for attendees. In 2010 roughly 8,000 students attended Fountain Day, tossing beach balls and dancing to music in the fountain by musical guest Flo Rida.

Fountain Day was last officially celebrated in 2010 as the fountain has been under construction and the administration has urged students to come up with another tradition. You may remember the wild Kegs and Eggs party that initially got this tradition canceled. Students got a little too crazy on St. Patrick’s Day in 2011 and in response the upcoming Fountain Day was suspended.

One student, who had heard the tradition was "the funnest thing to do on campus," applied to the school because of Fountain Day, only to have it canceled before she could experience it. With no Fountain Day celebration over the past few years (due to administration ban and construction on the fountain), it's up to UAlbany students to revive this tradition back to glory.

Other Notable Banned College Traditions:

• Penn RowBottom
• Colorado State College Days
• Tufts Naked Quad Run
• Michigan Naked Mile
• Rutgersfest
• UCONN Spring Weekend
• Cedar Fest at Michigan State
• Texas AM Bonfire (moved off campus)
• Barbary Coast at UCSB
• UCSB Fight Night
• UC Davis Epic Quad Battle
• Hobo Day at Kansas
• Champagne on the Steps at Colby College
• Dartmouth TubeStock
• Dartmouth Keg Jump
• Dartmouth Rush the Field
• Lehigh Tearing Down the Posts
• Cal Berkeley Burial of Bourdon
• Cane Rush

The bracket for the upcoming NCAA College Basketball Tournament has been released. This year's field of 68 teams features Florida, Arizona, Wichita State and Virginia as the four #1 seeds.

Download a printable bracket here and don't forget to give the Billion Dollar Bracket Challenge a try.

Limited Time Offer:Download a free audiobook at Audible.com now.

Time is a valuable commodity. This is especially true in college when you have to master the art of multitasking. It is important to take advantage of productivity tools that will help you succeed. One way to free up more of your time and increase your productivity is to make use of audio textbooks.

Audio books give you many options when it comes to being productive. Textbooks can be listened to on your commute, in the gym, while walking to class, or while relaxing on the quad. With MP3 being the format of choice for audio books, they can be listened to on any of your electronic devices.

Here we’ll go over a few ways you can get your textbook in audio format for easy listening on the go.

Check the Bookstore

First you’ll want to check the college bookstore. While they probably won’t have it in stock, perhaps they can special order the audio version for you. It’s very rare that you can get your audio textbook this way, but it wouldn’t hurt to stop by and check and see if they can point you in the right direction. Barnes & Noble operates most college bookstores so they do have access to a large amount of material.

Check Amazon.com

Another source to check is Amazon.

The Kindle device will read text out loud on books that have text-to-speech capability enabled. Unfortunately, due to DRM issues, most textbook publishers do not permit text-to-speech to be enabled. Find the Kindle version of the textbook you need on Amazon and see if the publisher has text-to-speech enabled. (If you don’t have a Kindle, these eTextbooks from Amazon can still be viewed on your laptop with Kindle for PC software.)

Options for other Books in Audio Format

If you need a certain novel for one of your classes, audio books can be purchased at Audible.com. If the book you seek is in the public domain, like many of the classics, you can find them at Project Gutenberg where many titles are available in plain text that can easily be input into a text-to-speech program. Some book titles have already been converted to audio and can be directly downloaded from their digital library.

Convert eTextbooks to Audio

Yet another option for getting your textbooks on audio is to purchase the digital version of the textbook at online retailers, notably CourseSmart and CengageBrain. While there can be a limit to the number of pages you're allowed to print, using an eTextbook you can open up your selected reading passage and Print to PDF. Once you have the reading selection in PDF form you can use the built-in Read Out Loud function in Adobe Reader.

With CourseSmart you can print up to 10 pages of the textbook at any time, so this could be useable for listening to your required readings. They do offer a free trial, so find the book you are looking for and see if this method will work for you.

Scan the Book and Convert to Audio

A last resort would be to simply buy a physical copy of the textbook and scan it. By using a scanner you can take advantage of OCR (Optical Character Recognition) technology, or text recognition software. Upon scanning, OCR software will take your scanned or other digital image and turn it into plain text that can be entered into any text-to-speech program.

A number of software products offer the ability to turn text into a downloadable audio MP3 file. Once you have downloaded the MP3, you can listen to the file on your PC, cell phone, iPod, or any other portable media player that supports the MP3 format.

You can scan the textbook into programs like Evernote and Microsoft OneNote that have built in OCR and text-to-speech technology. The advantage of scanning the textbook into Evernote is that it will allow you to search through the text of scanned documents, making it easy if you need to search for terms within the book.

Students with a Disability or Visual Impairment

Students with a documented disability should have an easier time obtaining an audio version of a textbook thanks to laws that require accessibility to all students. Copyright rules can be bent in these circumstances and alliances between colleges and publishers have taken form to help these students obtain textbooks in their preferred format.

Your college is more than likely partnered with Learning Ally or AccessText to ensure students with a disability have easy access to materials. Students who have a documented disability should reach out to their college’s Services for Students with Disabilities office for help in accessing audio textbooks.

Learning Ally, formerly known as Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic, is the largest source of recorded textbooks in the United States. There are currently about 150K titles in Learning Ally's online catalog, and any title not available can be recorded on request. These files can be downloaded or put onto a CD.

Other Sources for Audio Textbooks

• The Louis Database contains information on over 400,000 titles in accessible formats for those with a disability, including Braille, large print, sound recording and electronic files.
• Project Gutenberg has books in multiple file extensions, with some having already been converted to audio format. Another useful site for free public domain audio books is Librivox.org.
• If you can get your professor to adopt an open textbook, many titles can easily be made available in audio format.

Whether it’s beautiful architecture or an amazing view, just sitting in an inspiring place can instantly give one a greater sense of wisdom and well-being. Wide-open, beautifully-designed study spaces allow students to spread out, focus, and achieve serenity during times of stressful study. These are the places students come to do battle. From writing term papers to studying for finals, these locations provide the perfect environment to tackle any coursework.

Here we’ll showcase some of the greatest college study spaces around the country.

Harper Reading Room at University of Chicago

The vaulted Main Reading Room in the Arley D. Cathy Learning Center of Harper Library is one of the world's most beautiful reading rooms and a UChicago favorite. Open to students 24 hours a day, it is the perfect space for quiet individual study.

Suzzallo Library Graduate Reading Room at University of Washington

The Suzzallo Library is Collegiate Gothic architecture at its finest. The 250-foot long, 52-foot wide, 65-foot high Graduate Reading Room with a painted and stenciled timber-vaulted ceiling provides the perfect backdrop for silent study. Designed to provide inspiration to generations of students and faculty, one almost feels they need to hold their breath as they enter this “Cathedral of Learning.”

Hoose Philosophy Library at USC

The Hoose Philosophy Library is the oldest and one of the most beautiful libraries on the USC campus. Its main reading room, equipped with a stone fireplace, stained glass windows and a high cathedral ceiling, creates a very thought-provoking study environment. The Philosphy Library, the perfect place for any thinker, is surrounded by depictions and captions from many of the greatest philosophers of the world from the ancient Far East to modern America.

A. D. White Reading Room at Cornell University

Three tiers of crafted iron stacks offer a beautiful and open display of a prized collection of books in a room dedicated to Andrew Dickson White, Cornell University’s co-founder and first president.

Chancellor Green Rotunda at Princeton University

A two-story octagonal rotunda with symmetrical design offers a pleasant, yet not too visually distracting study space for students. The stained glass windows of the rotunda provide a natural octagonal dome light. A highly prized location, this space once served as a campus pub during the '70s.

Gargan Hall in Bapst Library, Boston College

Named after Boston College’s first president, Father John Bapst, the Bapst Library was designed to follow Oxford University’s English Gothic style. With stained glass windows throughout the building, students and visitors alike enjoy the beautiful interior of this masterpiece.

26th Floor Study Lounge at Student Village II, Boston U.

The advantage of BU having many tall buildings is that multiple study spaces can be found on campus with world-class views of the Boston skyline. The highest and perhaps the most panoramic view can be found at the top floor study lounge in Student Village II, BU’s luxurious dorm built in 2009. Some other study locations on campus with incredible views include the 9th floor study lounge in Shelton Hall, the Student Village I Student Atrium, and the Rome Lounge at the Law School.

Klarchek Information Commons, Loyola University Chicago

Seats in this mostly glass, openly designed building look out over Lake Michigan. Lots of windows bring in plenty of natural lighting, setting the tone for an excellent study space with a view in this LEED Silver rated building. With input from a roof-top weather station, an automated system opens windows and controls blinds to naturally ventilate and cool the interior.

Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Yale

Beinecke is the largest building in the world reserved exclusively for the preservation of rare books and manuscripts. The outer walls are made of translucent marble that transmits subdued lighting and shields direct sunlight. This transparent marble also gives the building an amber glow at night. A glass-encased book tower ascends six stories above ground setting a wonderful backdrop for any student hitting the books.

The Legal Research Building Reading Room at The University of Michigan Law School

This glorious Reading Room is graced with a 50-foot vaulted cathedral ceiling, stained-glass windows, oak wall paneling, and cork floors for quiet passage.

Ocean View at Pepperdine University

An outdoor study location provides fresh, clean air for clear thinking over a stuffy library. You’ll get plenty of it here with the ocean breeze coming off the Pacific Ocean in this amazing layout. Numerous patio seats in the Pepperdine Campus Center offer an incredible view of the Pacific Ocean.

Thompson Memorial Library at Vassar College

The west wing of the Thompson Memorial Library features beautiful architectural decoration with the remarkable Cornaro Window. Installed in 1906, the stained-glass window depicts a memorable event in the history of the higher education: the awarding of the first Doctorate to a woman.

With college starting soon, use this packing checklist as reference when determining what to bring.

Notes about what to bring to college:

1. Coordinate with your roommate on who is bringing what so you don't end up with two of the same thing. There is only so much room in a dorm.
2. Check with your college and see what items are allowed. Some dorms prohibit certain small appliances.

Quick tips for purchasing items for college:

1. Check campus classifieds and Craigslist. Buying used is obviously going to be cheaper.
2. Shop thrift stores and places like Target for more affordable items.
3. Order from Amazon.com and get it shipped for free with Amazon Prime (free for students for the first 6 months).

College Packing List: Items to Bring

Here are some more print-friendly versions of this college packing list for both Guys and Girls.

Choosing a backpack for college is an important decision when it comes to organization and mobility. You want a bag with multiple pockets to carry all your accessories, make them easily accessible, and protect all your gear. A bag that’s stylish and unique with enough room to hold textbooks, notebooks, chargers and a laptop, while still being comfortable to wear under a heavy load.

A new school year means new designs for students to choose from to fulfill all their carrying needs. With the above guidelines taken into consideration, here are our top recommended backpacks and messenger bags for college students.

1. OGIO Commuter Backpack

Lots of pockets and interior space make this bag ideal for students who carry many items to class. Pockets placed strategically throughout the backpack keep things neat and organized. Three padded sleeves hold a laptop, tablet, and smaller electronic devices evenly across the length of the pack giving the bag a thin profile. This design makes it useful for storing under your seat and is convenient when navigating through crowded areas and riding public transportation. For a backpack that can carry a hefty amount of college gear in a well-organized and protected manner, the OGIO Commuter is well priced at $100.

2. Timbuk2 Moby

Designed in San Francisco, Timbuk2 bags stand by their quality and ruggedness with a lifetime warranty. The toughness of their bags is essential for protecting devices. The Moby has an elevated laptop sleeve and a cushioned airmesh back support to keep your laptop off the ground and provide impact protection. Wide, well-padded shoulder straps (equipped with a bottle opener) provide added comfort under a heavy load of textbooks. The Moby has a very thin profile when carrying just a laptop, but its inner volume is able to expand enough to carry all your college essentials.

Brand new for fall, the Moby is one of the most affordable bags on this list, coming in at $55. The model we looked at was the stylish Black/Crimson bag, but other styles are available. Those who wish to fully customize the look of their bag can do so on select models on the Timbuk2 website.

3. Moleskine MyCloud Messenger Bag

While we prefer a bag with two straps to carry textbooks, the Mokeskine messenger bag is surprisingly very easy to carry over one shoulder. The hip belt also adds comfortable support and keeps the bag from moving around while biking or running to class. Multiple pockets and sleeves make this bag very efficient from a company that has been built upon providing products for organization and mobility. The bag is equipped with a padded laptop sleeve that holds notebooks up to 15 inches and leaves plenty of room for all your other college necessities.

4. Booq Cobra Pack

If you want a bag that fits, look to the Cobra from Booq. It’ll fit all your college gear and fit to your body with its ergonomically designed shoulder strap system with three adjustment points for ultimate carrying comfort. The bag is lightweight and roomy and makes a solid option for those who tote around larger laptops. Its unique square shape can easily carry a 17-inch MacBook Pro inside.

The bag offers superior protection as well. The separate laptop compartment is equipped with thick padding and a water-repellent zipper and outer shell. Other convenient features include two shoulder strap pockets to stow an iPhone and iPod touch and two zippered side pockets that open and expand to carry a water bottle or umbrella.

The price is a bit steep, but we wanted to include a backpack that can hold a 17-inch laptop while providing premium protection and fit the bill of what we look for in a college backpack. Those looking for a more affordable option should check out the Booq Boa Shift for 15-inch laptops.

5. Tylt Energi+ Backpack

The Energi+ Backpack features a built-in battery designed to charge tablets, smartphones, music players and other mobile devices on the go. The backpack can charge up to 3 devices at once via USB cable and provide enough juice to recharge a smartphone up to 4 times before the backpack battery needs recharging. The backpack was originally crowdfunded on Kickstarter in the summer of 2013 and has recently been made available on the Tylt.com website.

Power on the go makes this bag extremely travel friendly. While the built-in battery may add some extra weight to your bag (The backpack and battery together weigh 4.5 pounds), it can prove very useful for those who need constant charging throughout the day for getting work done in the quad, for use in that busy coffee shop where seats next to power outlets are at a premium, and for those who need to ensure their devices have enough juice to get through a day of classes.

The Energi+ Backpack has a large main compartment that can be used for book storage. The 1,450+ cubic inches of internal storage and 13 total pockets leave you with plenty of bag space. Another nice feature is the bag’s heavily padded straps: even when it’s full of gadgets and books, it won’t hurt your shoulders as you make the trek across campus.

6. STM Impulse

STM has bags that are designed to protect your digital cargo. Built for up to 15 inch devices, this laptop backpack retails for $100. The main compartment protects a laptop or tablet and the secondary pocket can be used to stash books and paperwork. This isn’t the most spacious bag for college textbooks, as it’s designed for the light packer and comes in weighing just 2.2 pounds. Those looking for an even more minimalistic approach to carrying should look at the STM Aero.

When you first enter an empty dorm you may notice the room looks quite minimal and you can’t fathom how you and another roommate are going to live in this space for an entire year. Tiny dorm rooms with cinder block walls, florescent lighting, and little to no carpet come off a little institutional looking and are very uninspiring.

While many colleges around the nation have made a push to design more luxurious dorms over the past few years, it's your job to transform your dorm room into a more livable space. This is your home away from home while you’re going to school, so you’ll want to add as much comfort and personality to the room as possible. Given the small size of the room, designing a dorm becomes a test in utilizing space in the best possible manner.

Use these dorm room ideas to spur your creativity as you design your space.

Wall Decor

A dorm with plain and bare walls is boring and isn't going to cut it in college. You need to cover walls with the best possible decor you can come up with on a college budget. Here are a few wall decorating ideas for a dorm room.

Clothesline Picture Holders

Clothesline Picture Holders with Lights

Adding lights alongside photos on the wall brings added attention to wall decor and casts a positive light in your dorm. Bringing in your own light source also means you can turn off those ugly florescent lights.

Organized Photo Arrangements

So simple and decorative.

Letter Picture Collage

Take the letter of your first name and personalize it with photos in the best way possible. This is where your personality can really shine through as you showcase some of your best moments in life.

DIY Inspiration & Mood Board

Combine all of your favorite keepsakes and pictures on an old frame. Such a great look and conversational piece for your room.

Dorm Bed Ideas

Unfortunately, the bed is the centerpiece of most college dorm rooms. You can either hide it the best you can or accentuate it by adding duvet covers, throw pillows, and other bedroom decor.

Bed Risers for added space underneath

Privacy Curtains for your Bed

Curtains and sheets can also be draped below the bed to hide storage areas.

Lights + Canopy + Beautifully Arranged Wall Decor

DIY headboard

Matching Bedding and Wall Decor

Desk

Your desk is your sanctuary when it comes to getting work done in your dorm. You don't want plain and boring; you want something that inspires, keeps you motivated, and puts you in a positive mindset.

Personalize your Desktop

Add your favorite Instagram photos under a plexi top surface.

Dorm Storage and Organization Ideas

Your room would be a chaotic mess without proper organization. Consider these storage ideas to help keep your dorm room neat and organized.

Tower Storage

Use all the vertical space you can.

Stacked Laundry Baskets use less Floor/Closet Space

Organizers

Storage cabinets that dual as steps to a bunk bed

Efficient Clothes Hangers

Shelves for Textbooks

Dorm Entertainment Ideas

If you are hosting any parties or hangouts in your dorm room, it's always good to have some centerpiece of entertainment that catches the eye and becomes a nice conversational item. If you want to properly entertain guests, you need to bring a certain wow factor.

Brookstone HDMI Pocket Projector

This device can connect to your smartphone, tablet, or laptop through HDMI cable and project up to 60-inch wide video on your wall. The projector doesn't take up much space and is much easier to move in and out of a dorm room than any big-screen TV.

Automated Dorm

A student at UC Berkeley found a way to completely automate his dorm room. (Here's another version from a student at MIT.)

Other Dorm Room Ideas

Rug

A rug provides warmth and really does tie the room together.

Folding Divider for added Privacy

Dorm Door Mural

More Dorm Inspirational Ideas:
FYeahAwesomeDorms
FYeahCoolDormRooms.com
DormDesign
Dormify

The college search process is long and grueling and often leads to some stressful decision making. Deciding on what college to attend can become an overwhelming experience, and for good reason. After all, there are hundreds of them across the country, all great schools for different reasons. Your first step is to take a deep breath and relax. You want to be completely in control and focused as you go on to make this decision.

Here we’ll point you to some useful resources and cover some important topics to get you started in the college search process. In the end, it is you that makes the decision of where to attend college. Parents, teachers, counselors, college search books and websites can only guide you so far. Only you know what you truly want in a college.

Understanding College

First, let’s get a few myths out of the way.

• College Myths
• College Admission Myths

Read: The Difference Between High School and College.

Types of Colleges

Decide:

Community College or 4 year
Online or Campus
Public or Private
In-State or out of state

Planning Ahead for Admission to College

Start Early: Starting your college search well in advance will give you plenty of time to prepare and perfect your college admission application.

• Preparing for College as a High School Junior
• Preparing for College as a High School Senior

Getting a Jumpstart on your College Search

Useful resources to get started on the college selection process:

• College Guide Books– Research colleges so you know the facts beforehand. See The Complete Book of Colleges.
• Guidance Counselors– Review your academic record and discuss your college future.
• Virtual Campus Tours– Get a feel for the campus and see if it’s fit to your liking. See eCampusTours and YOUniversityTV.
• College Fairs– Get basic info on many colleges in a short period of time. Talk to college representatives to learn and ask questions and receive immediate feedback.

To Do: Ask for Letters of Recommendation

Even before you have narrowed down your college choices, you'll want to start approaching teachers about getting a letter of recommendation. Ask early, as the favorite teachers always get swamped with recommendation requests around the same time of year. Make sure you get a recommendation from the teacher you connect with the most, who knows enough about you to write a strong personal recommendation. Colleges use these letters to make a decision on whether or not to accept you, so you can see the importance of getting a solid testimonial.

Find colleges that meet your selection criteria

Find colleges that fit the needs of what you’re looking for in a university. It is important that you take the time to research these colleges to make sure you will be a good fit at the school. This will reduce your likelihood of transferring later. It is wise to apply to enough schools so that you have a first choice, second choice, backup, etc. Ideally, you should apply to a handful of colleges (4-5) just in case you don't get accepted to your first couple of choices.

Some notable college selection factors to consider include:

Location

Location is a big factor that can affect college success and your wallet. Some students may prefer to go to college closer to home while others don’t let the location of the school keep them from attending. If you want to be near family you may want to consider colleges in your home state. If you can handle being away for college and not getting homesick, then branch out and check out schools further away. Just be aware of the additional travel costs to come home for visits. Obviously, the cost of living in some cities is going to be a factor as well. (Just see how New York dominates this list of colleges with the highest room and board costs.)

Public or Private...Does it matter?

While private universities are perceived to be more expensive, many of them actually offer outstanding financial aid packages in the form of grants and scholarships, with many meeting 100% of a student’s financial need. Private schools also usually offer smaller class sizes for a more personalized learning experience. The lesson: don't single out a private college just because you think it is more expensive.

Size of the College

What is the student-teacher ratio of the college? If a class of 200 students does not appeal to you, then you may want to stay away from large public universities. Some public universities are so large that some students can feel lost in the crowd. This could be another reason to attend a smaller school.

Selectivity

Perhaps your grades or test scores aren't as high as you’d like them to be. Check out colleges that are a little more lenient on admission. If you are researching your admission chances at certain colleges based on your grades and test scores, you can use websites like College Navigator to look at previous admission statistics for each school. If you apply to colleges that are a bit harder to get into, like the Ivy League, you better know what it takes to get in.

B Schools

For you “B” and “C” average students out there, you still have some options. While getting into a college with tough admissions may be a stretch (even students with all A's don't get in), don't worry, there are still plenty of colleges out there for you to get a quality education and still have a good chance of getting in.

Of course, if you are really concerned about getting in, you could attend your local community college for two years and then transfer to an in-state 4-year school. Many states have guaranteed admission programs like this where students who complete a 2-year degree from a community college are guaranteed admission into an in-state university.

What do you want to major in?

Do you have a certain career in mind? While you don’t necessarily have to decide now, it can be helpful in selecting schools that are stronger in certain programs. Students who know this in advance have the advantage of selecting schools that can better groom them for their prospective career.

Read: How to Choose a College Major

College Rankings

While college rankings shouldn’t be used as sole criteria for applying to a college, they can be useful in determining what colleges are stronger in certain areas and programs of study.

See: Notable College Rankings

Can you afford it?

It’s time to start thinking about how you will pay for college. This will probably have an impact on what college you attend. If your parents already have that handled for you, then you have nothing to worry about. However, most students make use of financial aid to pay for college.

If cost is a factor in your college selection process, consider these schools known as “Best Value” colleges.

Best Value Public
University of North Carolina
University of Virginia
University of Florida
William and Mary
UCLA

Best Value Private
Yale
Princeton
Rice
Harvard
Duke

Best Value Online
Keiser University
Virginia College
Colorado Tech

Financial Aid

Regardless of where you choose to go to school, you’ll want to start looking into loans, grants, and scholarships available to you. If you have questions you can talk to your guidance counselor or attend financial aid events that are hosted by local schools and organizations.

There are many options to help you pay for college:

• Student Loans
• Scholarships
• Federal Pell Grant
• Stafford Loan
• Federal Perkins Loan
• Parent Plus Loan
• Federal Work-Study

In order to obtain financial aid, every student must complete the FAFSA.

When it comes to college loans, it’s important to only borrow what you need. Private student loans should only be used as a last resort, as these tend to not have as favorable borrower terms as a student loan from the government. Use a student loan comparison tool for getting quotes on these types of loans so you can ensure you are getting the best rate on your student loan.

College Visits

Once you have a few colleges in mind, you will want to go out and visit the colleges. It's never too early to start checking out campuses. You can attend open house events or you can call and make an appointment for a personalized tour. This is your chance to ask questions about class size, majors offered, campus life, and anything else that is important to you when selecting a college.

Student Reviews

You'll also want to check out student reviews of the colleges you are looking at. Obviously, not every college is perfect (See: College Complaints), but it’s nice to get an opinion from students who have actually attended the school. College Prowler and Unigo can be useful for getting unfiltered reviews from real students who offer up what they like and dislike about the college.

Useful Websites for your College Search

• FAFSA
• Finaid.org
• College Board
• College Navigator
• College Confidential
• College 411
• Cappex

Useful Books for your College Search

• The Complete Book of Colleges
• College Handbook 2015

Applying

Make sure you submit all of your application materials by the college deadline to ensure proper review of your application.

While filling out multiple college applications can be time consuming, it’s important to take your time so you are neat and organized and are showcasing your best stuff. You can use the Common Application to easily apply to more than one school at a time if you wish to simplify the process.

Terms to know:
Early Action
Early Decision
Rolling Admission

College Admission

Common Essay Questions
Common Interview Questions
Letters of Recommendation
Leadership Experience
SAT Scores

Extra Bonus Tips for Admission

Stay in Contact - Respond immediately to all questions and provide additional information if you are contacted by the college admissions department. Don't be afraid to call the admissions office (applicants, not parents). Many colleges keep a contact log, and this is another way of showing interest.

Use a Professional Email Address - When communicating with the admissions office, use a Gmail address (or similar service) that is just your name and maybe some numbers. Sending e-mails to admissions staff from "SweetnSassy18@gmail.com" or something similar is just awkward.

Send a Thank You Note - If you meet a college rep at a college fair or event, send a thank you note. Make sure you include specifics of the meeting to help them visualize who you are. They make note of this. The admissions office will keep track of every contact you make with them, so persistence can pay off.

Don't use the Common App - Think about it, why do people use the Common App? Because they are applying to multiple colleges. You want the college to think they are your number one choice.

Heading to College
Prepare for College Checklist
What you'll need to bring
Skills to know before heading off to college

No two things are more stressful to a prospective college student than the question of getting accepted and determining if they can actually afford attending the school of their dreams. The cost of college is no joke, and is something we have tried to put a spotlight on since we started ranking expensive colleges back in 2007, as it is a troublesome debt many students will carry for years to come.

The list of the 100 most expensive colleges by total cost (tuition + room & board + required fees) are all private and range from $56,000 all the way up to $65,000 per year. This is a significant jump in price from the average private university cost of $42,419 and (obviously) the average cost of attending a public in-state college at $18,943.

With most of these schools surpassing the $60K per year mark, incoming students can expect to see a price tag of over a quarter-million dollars for their 4-year degree when expected yearly increases in tuition are taken into account. When you consider only about a third of students complete their degree within four years, you can see how students can really rack up student loan debt.

While the majority of these colleges offer great financial aid packages to those with need, it’s important to note there are still students who are paying these exuberant prices. At Duke University (#44 on this list), for example, about 50% of its students are paying the fully listed price of $60,533.

If you needed your holiday dinner table discussion topic, here it is: The 100 Most Expensive Colleges for 2014-2015.

Where does your college rank? Share it on facebook and Twitter.

Top 100 Most Expensive Colleges by Total Cost

Data compiled by CampusGrotto.com

Notes:

Total Cost = Tuition + Room and Board + Required Fees

The fees included in the total cost only include fees that are required for all undergraduates. These fees typically include items like the Student Activity Fee, a Facilities Fee, and a Technology fee. You won't see any fees by major, orientation fees for incoming students, or medical insurance fees included in these costs. Many other fees can be optional and can vary per student and per major. A Student Health Insurance Fee, for example, is obviously not going to be required for a student already on their parents’ insurance plan. Some colleges have their yearly budget for students listed slightly higher than what you see here. This is because some colleges also add in the estimated costs for books and supplies, personal expenses, and transportation costs.

Tuition numbers were taken directly from each college's website in fall of 2014.

This list only takes into account colleges that offer bachelor's (BA) degrees at traditional 4-year undergraduate colleges, so you will not see any junior colleges or music conservatories on this list, or schools like Landmark College (costs over $60K) who offer students an Associate of Arts (AA) degree.

The price tags shown for these schools do not mean that they are financially out of reach. Many schools provide financial aid packages that meet 100% of a student's financial need (Cost of Attendance - Estimated Family Contribution). Some colleges even eliminate tuition altogether for lower income students.

To get a better understanding of what you will actually be paying, be sure to use net price calculators that each school provides on their website. These typically take about 10-15 minutes to complete, but can provide a more realistic figure of what you can expect to pay. (For a complete list of colleges and links to their net price calculators visit NetPriceCalculator.com.)

For the 2014-2015 school year, the average cost of room and board is priced at $9,804 for public colleges and $11,188 for private colleges. To no surprise, colleges in California, New York, and the Boston area charge a bit more and top the list of most expensive dorms.

The highest-priced dorms can be found in New York, where students get to enjoy the conveniences of living in Manhattan and fabulous skyline views from high-rise dorms.

Going to school in New York can be quite an experience for a first-year college student, but one that comes with a hefty price tag. Looking at tuition and fees alone, NYU ranks 57th in highest cost. However, when room and board is factored into college cost rankings, NYU becomes the 3rd most expensive college in the nation with an estimated room and board expense of $16,782.

If you’re going to rack up college debt, it may as well come with a million-dollar view. Here’s a look from a dorm room in Founders Hall, a traditional first-year residence hall at NYU.

The 25 Most Expensive College Dorms for 2014-2015

1. Eugene Lang College (The New School) - $19,390

2. New York University - $16,782

3. Fordham University - Lincoln Center - $16,685

4. Pace University - $16,600

5. St John's University (Queens) - $16,390

6. Hellenic College - $16,192
7. Fordham University - Rose Hill $15,965
8. Harvey Mudd College - $15,833
9. San Francisco Art Institute - $15,666
10. Cooper Union - $15,220
11. Olin College - $15,200
12. SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry - $15,120
13. Emerson College - $15,096
14. University of California - Merced - $15,035
15. University of California - Riverside - $15,000
15. Marymount Manhattan College - $15,000
17. Smith College - $14,950
18. Roger Williams University - $14,864
19. Claremont McKenna College - $14,820
20. Dean College - $14,760
21. San Diego State University - $14,745
22. Pitzer College - $14,730
22. University of California - Santa Cruz - $14,730
24. Fisher College - $14,714
25. Pomona College - $14,700
25. Sarah Lawrence College - $14,700