Mirror Lake jump draws Ohio State students bent on celebrating 'tradition'
Published: Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Updated: Sunday, November 25, 2012 22:11
 "Photo: Daniel Chi / Asst. photo editor")
Daniel Chi / Asst. photo editor
OSU students take part in the Mirror Lake jump the night of Nov. 20.
Students lined the shores of Mirror Lake Tuesday night, preparing to jump into the cold, shallow pond.
Solomon Jeong, a first-year in physics, said that the water was "very cold," and he decided to jump on a whim.
"It was 9 p.m. and I just put on swim trunks and came down," he said.
Jeong received a cut on his knee, but said that he would go back into the pond and things would pick up later.
"A lot more people will come," Jeong said.
The crowd size peaked between 10,000 and 12,000, said Ohio State Police Deputy Chief Richard Morman.
The crowd size grew from a few pedestrians at 7:30 p.m. to the occasional jumper at about 8:30 p.m. to a committed crowd of jumpers by 9 p.m. Dozens of students jumped at 10 p.m., with more than 100 students in the water at midnight.
Students were encouraged not to jump in an email sent by the university Monday morning. "The combination of cold weather, alcohol, wet clothing and the slippery lake bottom can lead to lots of bad things," vice president for Student Life Javaune Adams-Gaston wrote. "I promise that your Ohio State experience will not be diminished for missing this."
Some students disagreed, including fourth-years Jeff Michael and Tyler Stauch, who paddled a canoe in Mirror Lake for a few minutes at about 8:30 p.m., before police ordered them to remove it.
"We're all about Buckeye Nation and the tradition," said Stauch, a business major, standing next to his canoe, which had a sail emblazoned with a Block 'O' and the word "tradition."
"They explicitly said in their email that this isn't an OSU tradition," said Michael, an accounting major. "We wanted to make sure they knew this was a tradition."
Adams-Gaston was at Mirror Lake for part of the jump.
"I think the point of the email is to remind students that this is a high-risk event," she told The Lantern. "And why we're all out here is to try to make it as safe as possible."
"We've got a lot of senior-level Student Life staff, Public Safety staff, Facilities, them and police from several jurisdictions, that's what helps with the safety."
Representatives of University Police, Columbus Division of Police, officers from the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Columbus Division of Fire and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources were at Mirror Lake.
"Tonight we're here to keep everybody safe," said Ryan Henak, a watercraft safety officer with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Henack and three other DNR officers suited up in drysuits, ready to rescue troubled jumpers from Mirror Lake, which Henak said is more than 12 feet deep in some points.
The deep end of Mirror Lake was cordoned off to discourage swimmers.
Police closed portions of Neil Avenue, 12th Avenue, College Road and 17th Avenue for the jump.
Morman said that arrests had occurred, but was not able to give a specific number or other information.
Temperatures dropped to 45 degrees by 1 a.m., with cloudy skies but no precipitation.
13 comments
Anonymous
This is NOT stupid and it IS a TRADITION. Just because you did not do it doesn't make it stupid. Posting that it is makes you stupid.
Anonymous
I was at TOSU business school in '86-'87 and do not remember anyone going in Mirror Lake on purpose. Besides, we all know what is going on when these students jump in he water dont we? Drunk college kids in a lake? I'm all for tradition but no thanks.
Anonymous
I jumped in Mirror Lake every year starting with my freshman year, which was 1993....so I'm not sure how you missed it in the ten years you were there?
Anonymous
I too graduated in 1980 and regretted that this was NOT a "tradition" yet. So...I jumped last night at the age of 55! Yea Me
Anonymous
Just because this was not a thing when some of you were in school does not mean it's not a tradition now. Isn't that what our alma mater says? Time and change? This university is awesome not just because of its old traditions but also because of new traditions that are always being instituted. I hope that when I come back to visit in 20 years or something that there are even more new traditions being observed.
Anonymous
I attended Ohio State from 1987-1997; I was a diehard football fan; I also worked as a reporter and an editor at the Lantern. I can tell you from experience, this did not exist at any time when I was a student for almost 10 years. I never knew anyone who jumped in mirror lake, never heard of anyone jumping in mirror lake, and never witnessed anyone jumping in mirror lake. I also never recall this "tradition" being reported on by the Lantern while I was on staff and frankly, wonder how the hell it even came into existence? Maybe some random students jumped in briefly and left quickly? I don't know. But what has spawned now is something I believe has only occurred in the past 4-6 years at this level.
Anonymous
It's Mirror Lake, not some disease infested swampland in a 3rd world country. Calm down. This is an awesome tradition, yes TRADITION. Beat M*ch*g*n Week is the biggest week on campus. And this year it holds more weight, because of the undefeated-so-far season. Let the college kids have their fun. I jumped in twice and watched once while I was an undergrad. If I was still in Columbus, I'd jump in again. It brings the campus together for one purpose: Beat M*ch*g*n! Go Bucks!!!
Anonymous
Whatever...
Anonymous
It actually started in 1990 and has been done every year since...so 22 consecutive years, I believe does warrant a label of 'Tradition'...I jumped in 3 times while a student and survived, as did everyone else! My husband (also an OSU Alumni) and I went down last night to enjoy the festivities and support the students getting pumped up for the biggest game of the season...They are young and having the time of their lives, let them enjoy it! Beat that team up North and GO BUCKS!!!!
Anonymous
I was a student in the late 90s/early 2000s and it was labeled a "tradition" then - I went in the lake several times and never came away with any flesh-eating diseases...Great job, guys and gals!!
Anonymous
As a graduate in 1980 I can assure you that it was no tradition back then! We actually feared what might be in the water and the consequences of ingesting it! Even my dad, class of 1952, said that it was a pretty place but not for getting into on purpose. But each generation makes their own traditions.
Anonymous
tradition - this IS NOT tradition. This is just pure stupidity!!!!Can't wait for the one guy who jumped early, cut his knee and then decided to go back in - when he gets some flesh-eating disease, maybe you'll all take heed and not be so stupid next time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just sayin' - good luck w/that!
Bill Stearns, class of Y2K
Good job, kids. Enjoy the weekend, and Go Buckeyes.
is a member of the 
