10 UCLA Traditions You Should Know About

Getting into the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) feels like a dream. With only 9% of applicants accepted, it’s the hardest UC to get into. That’s not surprising when you look at its top academic programs, lively campus culture, and prime location in the heart of Los Angeles.

But are you familiar with the campus traditions that make UCLA, well, UCLA? Whether you’re applying this fall or already wearing Bruin blue with pride, keep reading to discover some UCLA traditions you’ll want to know.

• Top 10 UCLA Traditions
• Other Interesting Facts about UCLA
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Takeaways

Top 10 UCLA Traditions

UCLA is known for many things. It’s home to top programs in economics, sociology, and psychology. It dominates in athletics. And it’s located near Hollywood. No wonder it’s ranked the best public college in the U.S. If you’ve been accepted, congratulations! You beat out over 140,000 other applicants.

But once you’re in, what’s next? What makes life at UCLA more than just classes and grades? From game-day rituals to quirky campus moments, below are 10 UCLA traditions you won’t want to miss.

1. The Victory Bell

If one tradition defines UCLA pride, it’s the annual football rivalry with the University of Southern California (USC). Every year, students kick off Beat ‘SC Week with a huge bonfire. You’ll see USC gear set on fire, the Bruin Bear statue wrapped up for protection, and the entire student body out in force.

The winner of the game claims the Victory Bell, a 295-pound bell that once sat on a Southern Pacific freight train. UCLA got it in 1939 as a gift from the Alumni Association. When it’s on campus, cheerleaders ring it after every Bruin point.

The rivalry heated up in 1941 when USC students posing as Bruins stole the bell. They hid it for over a year, setting off a wave of pranks between the schools. In 1942, both sides agreed that the winner of the game would keep the bell. That year, UCLA won 14 to 7. It was the first victory in the series and led to the program’s first Rose Bowl appearance.

Today, the Victory Bell isn’t just a shiny trophy but a symbol of school pride and one of the fiercest rivalries in college football.

2. Spring Sing

Every spring, UCLA hosts Spring Sing, a campus-wide talent show featuring student singers, musicians, and dancers. The event draws huge crowds and has become a major part of student life. Celebrities like Ronald Reagan, Paula Abdul, Raven-Symoné, and Dennis Quaid have even served as judges.

The show also includes the Gershwin Awards, a lifetime achievement honor for artists in the music industry. Past winners include Julie Andrews, Stevie Wonder, and James Taylor.

Spring Sing began in 1945 when fraternities started serenading sororities just before the end of World War II. What began as a simple tradition grew fast, eventually filling the Hollywood Bowl with more than 15,000 people. After a short break in the 1970s, students revived the event. Today, it’s still one of UCLA’s most loved traditions.

3. The Midnight Yell

Finals week at UCLA is brutal. You’re running on caffeine, short on sleep, and drowning in notes. But one tradition brings a little relief every night during finals, starting Sunday: the Midnight Yell.

At exactly midnight, students across campus stop what they’re doing, open their windows, and scream. It’s loud, chaotic, and weirdly comforting. For a few seconds, the whole campus lets out its stress together. That brief silence at 11:59 turns into a shared burst of frustration, energy, and noise. It’s a reminder that you’re not going through finals alone!

4. Ice blocking

One of UCLA’s most lighthearted traditions happens on the hill next to Janss Steps, formerly known as Tongva Steps. It’s called ice blocking, and yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like.

You grab a block of ice from the nearest grocery store, find a good patch of grass, sit on the block, and slide down the hill. Sounds simple, but staying balanced is harder than you’d think. You’ll end up muddy, maybe a little bruised, but that’s part of the fun.

Now, the tradition didn’t actually start at UCLA. Ice blocking first caught on in Orange County as a kind of dry-weather sledding alternative. Locals would slide down golf course hills after dark, especially when the grass was wet from rain or sprinklers. Eventually, the idea made its way to UCLA, where the Bruins turned it into a campus classic.

Whether you go with friends, roommates, or your student org, it’s one of those weird but memorable things you should try at least once.

5. The Undie Run

Every finals week, right when the pressure hits its peak, thousands of UCLA students take a break. How? By running through campus in their underwear! It’s called the Undie Run, which happens at midnight on Wednesday under the tunnel at Strathmore and Gayley.

Students strip down, take photos with friends, and run the loop around campus together. It’s loud, chaotic, and oddly therapeutic. You’ll see people in everything from boxers to costumes to graduation sashes.

UCLA started the tradition, and now it happens every quarter. Some do it just for a laugh. Others see it as a must-do before graduation. Either way, it’s definitely a finals week release like no other!

6. Getting “Bruintized”

During orientation, new students participate in a quiet but meaningful tradition called “Bruintizing.” You dip your hand into the water of the Inverted Fountain, officially marking your start as a UCLA student. But there’s a catch! You’re not supposed to touch the water again until you graduate.

Legend says breaking that rule means you won’t finish your degree on time. So, most students wait. After their final exams, seniors then return to the fountain to celebrate. Some wade in with friends. Others bring champagne or wear their graduation sashes for photos. It’s a full-circle moment and one of the most symbolic ways to end your time at UCLA.

7. Meeting Powell Cat

For years, UCLA students found unexpected comfort in a black-and-white tuxedo cat known as Powell Cat. First spotted near Powell Library in 2015, he quickly became a campus favorite. Students stopped to pet him, left food, and snapped photos as he lounged in the sun. He eventually made his home near Glorya Kaufman Hall, where you could often spot him napping in the grass.

Powell Cat had his own Instagram account, appeared on stickers and t-shirts, and even made a cameo in a UCLA Library holiday card! Many students believed petting him brought good luck, especially during finals week.

Powell Cat sadly passed away in 2023, and students gathered near Powell Library to hold a memorial. Today, many still work to preserve his memory and the joy he brought to generations of Bruins.

8. Bruin Walk

Bruin Walk has been part of UCLA life for decades. It runs through Bruin Plaza and is the main path students take to get to class. You’ll walk it almost every day, and that alone makes it a shared experience across generations of Bruins. It also has a long history as a bustling and active part of campus life, filled with movement, noise, and connection.

One tradition tied to this path is flyering. Student orgs line the walkway, handing out flyers for events, protests, performances, and campaigns. Some people avoid eye contact. Others stop to talk. Either way, it’s a ritual you’ll get used to fast!

9. UCLA fight songs

UCLA has several fight songs, but the most popular might be “The Mighty Bruins.” It was introduced in 1984 during a football game against Stanford University. The music was composed by Bill Conti, best known for scoring Rocky films, and the lyrics were written by UCLA alumni Barbara Lamb and Don Holley.

Another long-standing fight suong is “Sons of Westwood,” adopted in the 1960s with lyrics based on UC Berkeley’s “Sons of California.” It’s a regular feature at games and rallies, often followed by the “Eight-Clap,” a chant created by a UCLA student in 1948 that still fires up the crowd today.

10. True Bruin Traditions Keeper

This is the tradition that ties everything together. When you arrive on campus, you’re encouraged to participate in the whole UCLA experience through academics, athletics, leadership, service, and school spirit. That’s the heart of the True Bruin Traditions Keeper (TBTK) program.

As you complete various mini-traditions, you log your progress and get closer to earning the Traditions Keeper medal, awarded during graduation. Some traditions are big, like joining a student org or attending a game at the Rose Bowl. Others are simple, like taking a Fiat Lux seminar, visiting Diddy Riese, or rubbing the Bruin Bear’s paw for good luck.

The more traditions you complete, the more connected you’ll feel to UCLA—and the closer you’ll be to becoming a True Bruin.

Other Interesting Facts about UCLA

Now that you’ve seen the traditions that define UCLA life, here are a few more interesting and fun facts that might surprise you:

1. Origin of the “Bruin”

Did you know that UCLA wasn’t always called the Bruins? When the school opened in 1919 as the “Southern Branch” of the University of California, the football team was called the Cubs, a nod to their connection with UC Berkeley’s Golden Bears.

In 1923, they switched to the Grizzlies. But by 1928, there was a problem: the University of Montana already had the name, and both schools were in the same athletic conference! To avoid confusion, UCLA picked a new name: the Bruins. That name stuck, and it’s been part of the school’s identity ever since.

2. UCLA college colors

UCLA’s official colors are blue and gold, just like the rest of the University of California system. Each color was chosen to reflect the state itself: blue for the ocean and wildflowers, and gold for the California poppy and sunsets.

Over the years, the shades have changed. UCLA’s blue has ranged from powder to sky to royal, but the meaning behind the colors has stayed the same. They represent both the school and the state it calls home.

3. The Bruin mascots

UCLA’s mascot history started in the 1930s, when students demanded more school spirit. The solution? A live bear (yup, live!) rented for home football games.

The first, Joe Bruin, was a Himalayan bear cub, but he quickly outgrew his handlers and was eventually sent to a circus. Josephine Bruin, another bear cub, was kept in the Rally Committee chairman’s backyard until she, too, got too big and was moved to the San Diego Zoo.

By the mid-1960s, UCLA had switched to costumed student mascots. Joe Bruin was brought to life by a rotation of male students. In 1967, Josephine joined him, becoming the first female mascot at UCLA. Today, the pair is a fixture at games and campus events, representing Bruin pride in a much more fun and safer way.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are some traditions of UCLA?

UCLA has a long list of student traditions. One of the most popular is ice blocking, which means sliding down the grassy hill by Janss Steps on a block of ice. Students also celebrate football season with the Victory Bell bonfire and mark their UCLA journey with a dip in the Inverted Fountain, first during orientation and again at graduation.

2. What is the most popular major at UCLA?

Some of the most popular majors at UCLA include Psychology, Economics, Biology, and Computer Science. Thanks to its Los Angeles location, students in fields like film, politics, and tech also have easy access to internships and career opportunities.

3. What is UCLA most known for?

UCLA is known for its top-tier academics, championship athletics, and vibrant campus life. It’s also one of the prestigious “New Ivies,” which means you’re getting an Ivy League–caliber education with the resources and reach of a leading public university.

Takeaways

• UCLA’s major traditions include the Victory Bell and Spring Sing, both annual events that students look forward to and rarely miss. They’re central to campus spirit and bring the community together each year.
• Other less formal but beloved student traditions are the Midnight Yell, ice blocking, and getting “Bruintized” at the Inverted Fountain.
• Some interesting facts about UCLA include having blue and gold as the official school colors and once having live bears as mascots.
• UCLA offers strong academics, competitive athletics, and a historic and vibrant campus culture.
• Need help with your UCLA application? A college admissions expert can give you tailored advice to strengthen your chances.