The Hunt
The Penn of Western Pennsylvania, Carnegie Mellon University, is known globally as a hub of innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and so much more. Not only are these hardworking students known for their level of involvement in undergraduate and graduate research, but they have also been trailblazers in the field of collegiate tradition generation. Buggy racing, a sport originating from gilded-age fraternity brothers drunkenly racing each other down hills in buggies (Western Pennsylvania English for “shopping cart”), is probably the most well known tradition originating from this campus. However, there are many more that aren’t as well known: Painting the fence, “Gazorching,” Inverse Bungee Jumping, Carnival, just to name a few. However, I would like to bring to light one peculiarly delightful tradition known ominously as “The Hunt”. This tradition involves participants stripping entirely naked at the dead of night, and slathering themselves head-to-toe with peanut butter. Participants then hide all over campus, trying to evade a pack of starving Scottish Terriers looking for their first meal in over a month.
Following is one account by a local student who participated in the year 2024, –
“In my first year here at CMU during carnival, I saw a flyer for “the Hunt” somewhere on campus – and there was a QR code you could scan to sign up. It said it was pretty competitive because everyone wants to do it, and it could only take up to 30 students. I managed to make it in because I wrote some really good essay questions on why I wanted to participate. I remember we all lined up at 2 am outside Hunt Library – which is named after the Hunt actually – and then we heard the dogs barking. It got increasingly louder as the U-Haul trucks came closer carrying the dogs. Farnam himself stood with a large tub of peanut butter and he was slathering the students himself. We all stood shoulder-to-shoulder in front of Hunt and then the starter pistol fired and we all ran. We were told we had two minutes until when the dogs would be released, but it felt like a lot less. I had planned and practiced a little bit, and my strategy was to run to Highmark, because the dogs would not recognize the new building. Unfortunately I had dripped some peanut butter on the way there, and I actually heard a dog badging into highmark. I heard it get closer and closer and I heard some sniffing at the keyhole of the door I was hiding behind – fortunately, I heard a loud noise outside, and then the dog started running, and I heard a student screaming outside. I took the opportunity to run into the maintenance penthouse and onto the roof, where I waited it out until sunrise, which is when the game ends. As a prize, I got a free raspberry pi 4.”
Blood sports like this typically aren’t allowed on college campuses, but here at Carnegie Mellon, not only is it encouraged, but the president himself slathers you in the peanut butter.