If you have ever toured campus with one of GW’s tour guides, you may have heard a few stories that left you wondering, “Can that be true?” The following guide will help clear up some popular GW myths and urban legends.

Rubbing the hippo’s nose:

Tourists are often told that GW students rub the nose of the bronze hippo statue, located on the corner of 21st and H streets, as a good-luck charm before an exam. Though it is a cute concept, students are often cramming until the last minute before a test and do not make the time to head over to the famous landmark to rub the statue’s nose. MYTH

Housekeeping for freshmen:

While it sounds unlikely that GW freshmen would have the luxury of housekeeping service to mop up the remnants of last weekend’s beer pong game, it’s true. Once a week, a GW facilities employee will vacuum the floor of freshmen dorm rooms, take out the trash, and clean out the bathroom. Watch out, though. If there is too much clutter on the floor, the cleaning service will not move it to vacuum. FACT

Mitchell Hall previously an insane asylum:

GW freshmen love to tell the story that Mitchell Hall – a predominantly freshman dorm comprised of singles – used to house the District’s mentally insane. The urban legend, however, is completely false. MYTH

Alec Baldwin transfers after losing SA presidency:

In the late 1970s, actor Alec Baldwin attended GW. Students are told that Baldwin transferred in 1979 after losing his bid for the Student Association presidency. Baldwin did, in fact, lose the SA election. He came in third in the general election by one vote. Baldwin then transferred to New York University where he changed his name from Alex to Alec. While at GW, Baldwin is also remembered for forcing Program Board into bankruptcy. FACT

Thurston Hall is second most sexually active dorm in the U.S.:

Many residents of the largest residence hall on campus enjoy boasting that their dorm was voted the second most sexually active by Playboy Magazine. While it may be true that many of the more than 1,000 residents of Thurston have their fair share of sex, this rumor is not true. MYTH

Student Association is in charge of more than half a million dollars:

The role of the SA is to allocate money to the more than 400 student organizations on GW’s campus. A year and a half ago, students voted to increase the student fee after 16 years, exponentially increasing the amount of funds the SA is now in charge of. Though their war chest, roughly $700,000, might sound like an inordinate amount of money, that rumor is true. FACT

More than 15 security and patrolling forces watch over GW’s Foggy Bottom Campus:

Living in one of the most prestigious areas of D.C., the Foggy Bottom campus is actually under the jurisdiction of 17 police and security departments including the University Police Department, the Secret Service, FBI Special Security Forces, The State Department Police, and security forces for the Embassies of Mexico, Saudi Arabia and Spain. FACT