I went to college in Wisconsin, at Marquette University. The campus was in downtown Milwaukee, which actually wasn't the best part of Milwaukee. There were some sketchy characters for sure...but nothing quite freaked me out as much as my squirrel attack!
It was my Freshman year of college and one of my first few days on campus when I experienced the "Marquette squirrels". I was walking through campus on my way from my dorm to my first Biomed class. As I was walking past the courtyard between the Joan of Ark Chapel and the business school I was taking in the beautiful day. It was sunny and warm and a great day just to stroll along. As I was looking up and enjoying it all this fuzzy little creature just leapt out of the tree at me and onto my shoulder. I screamed hysterically...screaming "help!! squirrel!!" I flailed around freaking out, running in circles and looking like a complete spaz. I then realized that all the people sitting in the grass within the courtyard were laughing. I thought "what assholes! They are laughing as I get attacked?!" Then this guy comes up with a camera and takes a photo of me as I'm flipping out. What the hell?? Once he took the photo he stops and says "calm down, they are domesticated squirrels, you've just received your squirrel orientation. Thanks for being this years Freshman for my article!" I was baffled, what is a domesticated squirrel, and what article?!
The squirrel jumped from my shoulder, looked at me almost like he was laughing at me, and then ran off. At this time another student approached me and gave me the full explanation. Apparently, many years ago there was a priest that used to feed the squirrels and then the tradition continued, and many priests, students, and faculty would feed the squirrels. Over the years they became domesticated and had no fear of people. They would come right up to you and jump on you or let you pet them. They were just like any dog or cat. I guess it became tradition over the years for upperclassmen to sit in the courtyard and watch innocent Freshman freak out at the squirrels jumping on them. They would always take a photo and post it in the student newspaper with a little article about the tradition.
It took a lot of getting used to. Several times after that, even though I knew the story, I would still scream when they jumped on me.
One time I was walking to class and I didn't realize a squirrel had jumped on my backpack. When I got to my class and I went to sit down, I took my backpack off and as I went to open it up, I discovered a squirrel staring back at me! I screamed so loud and the professor just laughed. He was like "it's not the first time!" Then he picked up the squirrel and escorted him outside.
By my Sophomore year I was completely on board with the squirrels and from that point on I looked forward to the time I spent in the courtyard feeding and petting the squirrels!
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