Stanford “Steam Tunneling”
This entry is part of a CCR blogging exchange between Stanford, the American University of Cairo, and Orebro University in Sweden. Students have been asked to post a "university culture" entry introducing something about their university culture (or national culture) to an audience of students across the world. Then, other students will comment and we will soon have a rich dialogue, as students develop ways of writing for international audiences and hopefully learn about ways of life across the globe.
Hi this is Andrew and David: two average Stanford Freshman with a need to explore!!
Steam tunneling has been a long existing tradition at Stanford. Beneath the campus that so many have called home there is an intricate catacomb of tunnels that wind under the engineering building and center of campus. One can find themselves coming up in one of 250 connected buildings including a chapel at the far end of the quad. Recently almost every known entrance to the steam tunnels has been locked shut keeping eager Stanford students away from their beloved tradition due to the possibilities of lawsuits or injuries. It isn’t uncommon, however, to see one of
these locks cut or a manhole cover open. I believe this is a metaphor of the Stanford community. There is a strong sense of tradition that many value more than the risks present in pursuit of such tradition. Stanford students are curious, eager to explore even the darkest of places and navigate their way through a catacomb of life. They are assertive, keeping a watchful eye over everything in their community, and not afraid to protest something they find unreasonable or even unjust.
David is from Taipei, Taiwan and enjoys late, intellectual, moonlit walks on the beach, San Fran adventures, tennis, sailing, skiing, and just about anything that involves near death experiences. Andrew is from Denver, Colorado and enjoys outdoor "peace" hikes, runs cross country at stanford, finds anything that raises adrenalin (non-drug related), and enjoys late night base jumping off hoover tower!
Comments
It is shame that one of Stanford's tradition has been shut down. Last year, my friends and I scoured around the Stanford campus trying to find open steam tunnels, but we had no luck. Like you guys said, college is a time to explore and find out who you are. College only last for four years and one must live it up. However, the shutting down of this tradition will not allow students to fulfill their Stanford undergraduate expereince.
Posted by: Quan | October 20, 2009 02:35 PM
I know how you feel about locking steam tunnels as it kills your curiosity about exploring, but I think that these tunnels are just overhyped because they are just tunnels. I think that exploring such places may be quite boring because what do you expect to find in such tunnels. Exploring is great, but when you are exploring ancient tombs or undiscovered places. I think that you are curious about these steam tunnels because they are just closed or forbidden and if they were still opened, you would go there once then you would realize that they are so boring. After all, I think that locking these tunnels is a good decision to avoid useless risks or injuries. I’m not interested in near death experiences maybe because I have not tried such extreme sports before because they don’t exist in Egypt on a large scale. I just like regular sports like football, swimming and basketball, but I guess sometimes one needs such dangerous experiences just to satisfy his curiosity.
Posted by: Ahmed | October 30, 2009 07:50 AM
Hi!
Just read the entry and found it quite exaiting. Had no idea that thoose sort of underground tunnels existed beneath the campus of your university. What have been the purpose of those tunnels?
Posted by: Linus & Jens | November 16, 2009 08:59 AM