Legacy /’leg-uh-see’/ n. a student whose parent, grandparent, or sibling has attended Furman University.
If you looked in a Furman dictionary between words like “The Lib” (Duke Library) and “The PAC” (Physical Activities Center), you would find the above definition for “Legacy.” I am a proud Furman legacy of my mom, who graduated back in ’87. In addition, my aunt was a member of the Class of ’90 and while this isn’t defined under legacy, Furman runs in the family. I’ve always been asked what it’s like to follow in my mom’s footsteps and if my Furman experience has been any different. Here are a few reasons why it’s awesome to be a Furman legacy and what many legacies can relate to as a Furman student!
You’ve had Furman (or a lot of purple) apparel since you were a young one.
⇐ To the left is my first purple outfit (stylish purple overalls) I wore to my first Paladin Football game. Since then, I’ve owned several Furman shirts and souvenirs. Because of this, people will assume you’re going to Furman since you own so much purple and Furman gear.
Also, everyone in your family probably has a lot of Furman apparel. ⇒
No need to buy apparel for your family because most of them probably own a lot already! It was easy for me to get everyone in Furman apparel when I decided upon Furman.
Maybe your first official campus visit has not been your first time on campus.
It feels weird checking in to your campus tour when you’ve already been on campus before. Everything that an ambassador might share on the official tour, you might have heard before from your favorite alumnus. Even though you feel like you know campus, you still learn more from another student’s perspective.
You have similar tastes.
Great minds think alike! You and your favorite alumnus must have similar tastes if you both chose the same school. You both were probably looking for a small, liberal arts college with excellent academics and a strong community.
You know about all the favorite Furman traditions before you even step foot on campus.
Laking, fountain hopping, kissing under the Bell Tower… yep, you’ve heard all of them before. You probably already know to stay away from the Bell Tower with your college sweetheart or be thankful your birthday is during the summer months. While you might partake in some of these traditions with fellow students, you feel connected to your favorite alumnus because they’ve done it before you.
Homecoming is a bit more meaningful.
⇐ Homecoming is a favorite Furman tradition for all students; however having an alumnus in the family makes the celebration a little bit more meaningful. Sometimes it’s hard to differentiate Homecoming with Family Weekend because you’re family will come to both. Homecoming literally means coming home for you and your favorite alumnus. Whether going to the festivities Friday night before the game or cheering on the Paladins in the big Homecoming football game, there are plenty of activities you can both attend and make Furman memories together.
You have the ability to see how Furman has changed and grown throughout the years.
I truly think this is one of the neatest aspects of having alumni in the family. While some Furman traditions don’t change over the years, there is still a lot of change happening on campus. Having alumni in the family from past years allows you to experience Furman throughout its changes. I will never forget my mom being shocked when she went into South Housing (the freshmen residential halls) for the first time, since it used to be the boy’s part of campus.
Whether you can relate to all of these or very few, there’s some sort of connection between Furman legacies. It just makes Furman a little bit more like home. Besides fellow legacies, I’ve also shared this special connection with my mom, which just adds to our bond. I love my favorite alumnus just as much as I love Furman. When people ask if I liked following in my mom’s footsteps, I always respond, “Yes, absolutely.” I am one proud legacy whose blood runs purple!
-Alex Doxey ’19