By Michele Barletta

As the age-old superstition goes, a student at Quincy University should not walk through the kiosk on Penny Lane if they wish to graduate in four years. It’s believed that if a student walks through the kiosk, instead of around it, they will fail to graduate on time.

This makes it no surprise that the huge sculpture, located at the centre of main campus, has become a popular picture site for seniors on their day of graduation. Graduates often go and stand underneath the kiosk or take pictures of them walking through it to celebrate their graduation.

Not all students believe the superstition. Senior, Joel Mcilroy, says that he’s never been a superstitious person, and the kiosk is no different.

“People keep saying its cursed but I don’t believe in it, I’m graduating this semester and I walk through it just about every day,” Mcilroy said.

It’s a story that has been passed down for years at QU, and seems like it’s going to stick around. Mckinney Little says he first heard about the kiosk from his older siblings.

“My brothers and sisters went here and they all told me about it, I didn’t believe it at first and I’m not actually sure if I do now, I’m just not willing to take the chance,” Little said.

Little said that his siblings chose not to walk through the kiosk, and all of them graduated on time. Which is why he has opted to follow in their footsteps.

“I mean, if they graduated on time, I don’t see why I would tempt fate, I’d rather just walk around it even if it is just a superstition,” Little said.

Every QU student will be tempted to walk through the kiosk at some point in their college career. Students will walk past it as they make their way across Penny Lane and toward Francis Hall. However, very few students dare to walk through it.

“Throughout the day, you can see loads of people walking around it, and sometimes I just wonder why they believe it,” Mcilroy said.

Some students, do believe in superstitions like this and are yet to walk through the kiosk. Craig Chisholm is yet to walk through the kiosk in his three years as a Hawk. Chisholm explains that if everyone else believes it’s true, then he’d rather not take the chance.

“I definitely wouldn’t like to fail and have to do extra semesters, so at this point I’m just doing what everyone else does so I can graduate on time,” Chisholm said.

Walking to and from class isn’t the only time students are tempted to test the superstition. Students often walk through the kiosk late at night after attending a party on or off campus.

“I’ve seen it often, the same people who walk around it during the day are confidently walking through it on a Friday night,” Chisholm said with a laugh. “I guess only time will tell what’s going to happen.”