Coming to Stony Brook University in the Fall of 2007, I noticed two distinct things then about the University: a lack of school spirit and diversity of architectural designs put into the buildings here.
The Path as it appears today in red-and-white glory. Photo by spyffe on flickr.
Having said that, SBU has made some huge strides since I arrived. I felt, initially, I was the only one donning a Seawolves cap, a Stony Brook t-shirt, or a nice SBU hoodie around the campus. Visits to other colleges such as Albertus Magnus College in New Haven, CT or Marywood University in Scranton, PA showed me we were lacking some much needed focus and togetherness. Naturally, I wasn’t the only one to notice this.
In the middle of the Spring of 2008, my second semester, the famous Zebra Path underwent a major renovation, which was, in light of its fading paint, was necessary. Before I go into detail, I’m sure some of you non-SBU-ers are asking, “What is a Zebra Path?” The path was, originally, a nice slab of angled asphalt in the form of a path leading one from the Student Activities Center (the SAC) between Old Chemistry and the Library to the Chemistry building. Painted at angles and zig-zags in black and white, the aritst, who’s name escapes me at the moment, called it the Zebra Path.
Like “the Bat” at old Yankee Stadium or Times Square, the Path became a place to meet friends and locate yourself when talking to others. A little out of the ordinary, yes, but it was the Zebra Path. While we were Patriots at one time and now Seawolves, the Zebra became an unofficial mascot.
Then came the repainting.
Gone forever were the black stripes that clearly corresponded to the Zebra. Replacing them were “red hot” stripes, ringing in the nickname of “Candy Cane Lane” and accusations of a Communist uprising by the one and only Stony Brook Press.
I haven’t taken much offense at it, but noticed today that, for perhaps the fourth time since the change, the Path had a fresh coat of paint of red and white – the Stony Brook colors. I look around and see more people wearing SBU gear – hats, shirts, sweatpants, and hoodies. I smile, but I feel guilty – we sacrificed the zebra for the rising of spirit.
The Path, black & white, as it appeared in 2004. Photo by uberuday of Webshots.
The Zebra remains a mascot, of sorts, around the campus. The Career Center, which has always noted its placement at the foot of the Zebra Path in the Library, has the Zebra as its mascot on the website. A cute and cuddly little guy, the Zebra still maintains his rightful black-and-white stripes.
I’m making this last effort, perhaps until the end of my junior year, to return the path to its original coloring. As the days go on, more and more students are graduating and those are the last of the students who recall the days when the Zebra Path was really like a zebra. While I’m all for the support of bringing us together, I will never support the idea that changing art, which this essentially was, or changing an icon of a school simply because “its out.”
I’ll never forget the original path. To me, it’s still in.
Viva La Zebra! :Fist Pump:
