You’re Nuts: What is your favorite Michigan Week tradition, past or present?

Michigan Week is finally upon us! It’s a week Buckeye Nation looks forward to every year. As soon as the 11th game of the regular season ends for Ohio State, the next seven days are all about beating That Team Up North. Michigan Week isn’t just about The Game, though. In the lead-up to the annual battle on the football field, there are also events to help show which state is superior, illustrate the hatred Ohioans have for the state of Michigan, and even contests between Michigan and Ohio to help those in need.

Today, we want to know which Michigan Week tradition, past or present, is your favorite. There are some traditions that have been replaced over the years, but still live in the memories of many Buckeyes. Others are newer traditions that have become a little easier to celebrate since The Game was moved back a week and now falls a couple of days after Thanksgiving. Some traditions are simple, like refusing to use a certain letter in the alphabet. There really is no wrong way to get hyped up to watch the Buckeyes take on the Wolverines.

Today’s question: What is your favorite Michigan Week tradition, past or present?

We’d love to hear your choices. Either respond to us on Twitter at @Landgrant33 or leave your choice in the comments.

Brett’s answer: The Mirror Lake jump

Understandably, this tradition came to an end after a tragic event in 2015 when an attendee dove into Mirror Lake and broke his neck. To prevent students from continuing the tradition after the depth, the university started draining the lake before Michigan Week.

I took part in the event in the three years from 2005 to 2007. It should be no coincidence that Ohio State won all three years. In hindsight, it probably was insanely stupid to jump into the freezing “lake” in the middle of November, but we do a lot of stupid things in college, so it definitely made sense at the time.

Since I was a transfer student, those I hung out with around the time had all pretty much all had done it before my first time in 2005. Obviously, I consumed a bunch of liquid courage before jumping to try and alleviate how cold the water was. It actually worked since before I knew it, I was out in the middle of the lake paddling around. The scene was nothing like I had ever seen before after growing up in a small town in Western New York.

I actually did the jump sober in 2006 since I had gotten some sort of food poisoning the night before. Despite not feeling well, I knew I couldn’t not partake in the event, especially since there was even more hype around the game since it was between the top two teams in the country. I wasn’t nearly as ambitious that year when it came to how far out into Mirror Lake I went. By the time 2007 rolled around, I was an experienced pro when it came to participating in the tradition.

What I loved so much about the tradition was that so many people came together to do something silly that was thought of as good luck. I’m a pretty superstitious person, so it took on even more meaning after the Buckeyes beat Michigan in my first year at Ohio State. I can also admit it was a dangerous event since so many were intoxicated, but you often don’t realize these things until years later. Despite the dangers, the memories from my three Mirror Lake jumps will be ones that I will never forget.

Matt’s answer: Covering all of the Ms on campus

I know it is a bit silly, and people can take it waaaaaay too far on social media, but the idea that under the cover of night, dedicated individuals cover every inch of campus and put red tape — an X or otherwise — over every M is just so cheekily college football, that it’s hard for me not to love it.

When I was in school during the early aughts, the rumor was that it was done by some mysterious secret society on campus, potentially known only as “S.” I believe that has either been disproven, or the secret society has done a better job of covering its tracks, and it is now student organization Ohio Staters Inc. that gets credit for the bulk of the work.

I might be misremembering, but I believe that this tradition started when I was in school, some 20+ years ago, but to see how it has gone from building signs on campus to street signs and now to all of the businesses in the campus area is a reminder of just how connected our community is. It might be silly, and it might even be immature, but it is our silliness and immaturity.

While I don’t get up to campus every year, and definitely not every Michigan Week, I love knowing that over in Sphinx Plaza, outside the main library, my name features not one, but two Ms covered by red tape. It helps me feel connected to the place and traditions that have helped make me who I am.

Go Bucks! Beat Michigan!