After several days of highs in the 80s, the temperature was a brisk 46 degrees on May 13, the day the seniors made the jump into the Dillingham fountain as part of Senior Week 2015.

Each year, days before Ithaca College seniors take the field at Butterfield Stadium for Commencement, they take part in Senior Splash, one of their last rites of passage before becoming alumni. A long-running tradition at IC, the superstition goes that if a student takes a dip in the fountain before the completion of their senior year, they will not graduate.

The history of Senior Splash, or ‘Fountain Day,’ as it used to be called, is a bit fuzzy. It seems to have started in the ‘80s as a spontaneous way to celebrate the last day of classes. It became a more official event for seniors only in the early 2000s.

Other senior week events included a kickoff concert, wine tours, drinks on the lake, and a senior formal. However, Senior Splash remains one of the most highly anticipated events.

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