For the past 3 years, Emory University has been trying to start a rivalry with Washington University in St. Louis. Sadly, I don't think it is the other way around. 

Three years ago, the president of our Student Government Association decided to disband the SGA and declare that Emory was in a state of war. This was in response to toilet papered trees and spray painted buildings on our campus, acts which supposedly had been performed by evil Wash U. students. In our state of war, the SGA president created a department of rivalry simply called "The Department." Initially, this was a little confusing to students - why had Wash U. attacked us? What had we done?!

The next week, word came in that something had gone down at Wash U. Pictures circulated of a bridge at Wash U. spray painted completely yellow, and with blue letter reading "Wash U. girls are ugly." I thought this was pretty cool. I've always been a big fan of prank wars, and anything that improved Emory spirit was OK by me. 

It eventually came out that the acts against Emory had actually been performed by Emory students, and in fact, Wash U. wanted nothing to do with the rivalry. So . . . for the two years following those initial attacks, nothing too exciting has happened with "The Department." No big pranks have been pulled, and students haven't been feeling like super rivals. As I posted earlier, though, last week "Wash U." covered the new Dooley Statue in mud . . . but who can we trust??!?