Crook Hunt Goes Instagrammable

Like other Spring events and traditions, this year’s Crook Hunt was held virtually as a result of COVID-19 and the closure of the campus. The Office of Student Leadership and Service (SLS) and the Senior Class Crook Hunt Co-Chairs, Meredith Brown and Rachel Kennedy, created an Instagram page to allow for “a lot of interaction” and participation since “many students already use this form of social media,” according to Sarah Borum, Assistant Director of SLS. From April 8 to 16, a total of five clues were posted and members from the Class of 2021 submitted guesses about the crook’s location. A livestream was held on April 16 via Instagram to reveal that the crook was hidden in some bushes by the back gate on Wade Avenue. Only two out of over 130 students guessed correctly, and daily door prizes were given out to students who participated. Over 50 students attended the crook reveal. Although the crook was not physically hidden this year, “in an effort to maintain the best social distancing practices” and to account for everyone’s safety, Borum states that the Office of SLS “wanted to maintain the heart of the event” and keep “as many of our wonderful traditions as possible,” even in current circumstances. According to Cheryl Jenkins, Director of SLS, it is hard to determine if this year’s Crook Hunt had more or less participation than in previous years, since “so many groups of juniors have gone out to hunt for the crook over the years,” but she approximates that 100-200 students participate in any given year. Participation in this year’s crook reveal was actually about the same as crook reveals in years passed. Overall, Jenkins calls this year’s virtual Crook Hunt a success. The five clues given for this year’s Crook Hunt included a picture of bushes, a graphic ruling out Weatherspoon, the Alumnae House and Gaddy-Hamrick as hiding places, a “stop light” sign, a clock and an image of a Meredith gate with a short poem. By Molly Perry, Staff Writer