In the Thick of Things

The next airplane lands directly in the center of a patch of thick, long, green grass. This symbolizes the plethora of opportunities all around students here at Clemson. There are clubs, teams, and organizations every which angle one can look. Each is distinctive in its own way, but all are interrelated into the pattern that is Clemson. The student body acts in a similar fashion. All students are alike in that they have the same interests and hobbies, but deep down they are all unique individuals. Notice how each blade of grass may look identical. They are the same color, the same height, and all laying in the same direction, but if we were able to look closer at each blade individually; they would all tell a completely different story. Some are a bit longer, a bit wider, or have a chunk missing from a neighboring bug. Each student at Clemson will work together to make up the entire patch of grass, but will never lose its own identity as a single blade.

To Land or Not to Land?

The first airplane touches down just outside the front doors of the Hendrix center as students begin to take part in the Clemson community as soon as they start their very first classes. This plane seems like it is soon to land, but is not quite touching the ground. The downward slope of the hill in front of the plane would force a somewhat turbulent, speedy landing, but also allows for another lift into the sky. This symbolizes the skepticism students may have when first enrolling at Clemson. Some feel they won’t fit in, while others are quick to land maybe a bit too fast. With a bit of help from professors, advisors, and their peers, the majority of Clemson students find themselves to truly be Tigers at heart. They agree it’s time for landing, and before they can blink they’re caught up in the thick of things.

The Runway

In 2002, two years after the creation of the Hendrix Student Center, former Department Chair of the Arts Department, John Acorn, developed a creative art project titled Friday Flyers. Initially known as the John Acorn Project, Mr. Acorn designed and erected six, eight foot aluminum airplanes replicating the form of basic paper airplanes. At first, the airplanes were planned to be hung from the ceiling of the Hendrix Center. Upon student suggestions, the airplanes were scattered around Clemson’s campus as if they were each thrown from the Hendrix center in all directions. One still hangs from the ceiling of the main entrance to the Hendrix Center. The meaning that Acorn hoped to portray from this project was far more than just a randomized tossing of paper airplanes. Acorn said, "the random placement of these six forms symbolizes the importance of diversity and chance, innovation and human perseverance. The release of a paper airplane and its subsequent course parallels academia in the function of sending out the seeds of an idea for others to discover and explore.” One can look at the initial photograph of the airplane hanging in Hendrix and notice its direction towards the windows ahead. It is as if the airplane could take flight right from its hanging wires and venture off onto Clemson’s campus, just as freshman do upon arrival. Freshman visit Hendrix early in their first year, pick up their books for the semester, and all begin their unique flights which will last over the next four years. This series of six pictures will symbolize the journey taken by each student at Clemson University.