June 8, 2018

How do you explain Stanford’s Wacky Walk?

Trying to explain Stanford’s Wacky Walk, an annual Commencement tradition, to someone who has never seen it is quite a challenge. So, Stanford Report dug into its photography archives for the past several years to try instead to illustrate the highly irreverent, often silly, generally entertaining and occasionally touching first few minutes of the graduation ceremony.

By Stanford News Service

Over the hill Wacky walk — A contingent of “Over the Hill” students leads the Wacky Walk procession at the Stanford 2015 Commencement ceremony.
Image credit: L.A. Cicero

Slide into Wacky Walk — GSB students cheer classmate Michael Rothkopf as he slides into the 2016 Wacky Walk.
Image credit: L.A. Cicero

Baby photos wacky walk — Students parade around the 124th Commencement with their baby photos.
Image credit: L.A. Cicero

Goodbye sign wacky walk — Students dressed as characters from *Winnie the Pooh* hold a sign that says, “How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard,” during the 2016 Wacky Walk.
Image credit: L.A. Cicero

Samurai game Wacky Walk — Jack Conte and his fellow graduating SImps, Stanford’s improvisation troupe, staged a slow-motion samurai game during the Wacky Walk at the 2006 Commencement ceremony.
Image credit: L.A. Cicero

Banana Wacky Walk — Students prep outside Columbae residence for their 2013 graduation Wacky Walk dressed as bananas.
Image credit: Ian Terpin

In-N-Out Wacky Walk — Zoë White, Haley Ketterer and Isabelle Woodrow with friends dress as In-N-Out Burger staff for the 2016 Wacky Walk.
Image credit: L.A. Cicero

A LeBron James cutout looms over students dressed as human-sized sock puppets (we think) during the 2013 Wacky Walk.
Image credit: Aaron Kehoe

Space Wacky walk — Students from the Aeronautics & Astronautics Department doff their space helmets at the 2016 Commencement.
Image credit: L.A. Cicero

Hippie Wacky Walk — Students dressed as hippie protesters for Stanford’s 120th Commencement ceremony.
Image credit: L.A. Cicero

X-Wing Wacky Walk — Two graduating *Star Wars* fans chart a casual flight path to the 2013 Wacky Walk in their X-wing fighters.
Image credit: Aaron Kehoe

Top Gun Wacky Walk — It’s always good to bring a wingman when participating in the Wacky Walk. This is from Commencement 2015.
Image credit: L.A. Cicero

Space shuttle Wacky Walk — William Tucker, dressed as an astronaut, is set to begin the Wacky Walk with friends who will navigate the Space Shuttle to the 122nd Commencement.
Image credit: L.A. Cicero

Catbus wacky walk — Students showed up to the 2016 Commencement in the catbus from the 1988 film *My Neighbor Totoro.*
Image credit: L.A. Cicero

Viking wacky walk — Students dressed as Vikings sail into the 2015 Wacky Walk.
Image credit: L.A. Cicero

Parachute Wacky Walk — Graduates run under a parachute decorated with their names and handprints during the 2013 Wacky Walk.
Image credit: L.A. Cicero

3d heads wacky walk — Kevin Moy and Guanlin Chen hoist giant 3D models of their own faces before the 2015 Wacky Walk.
Image credit: L.A. Cicero

QR code wacky walk — During the Wacky Walk a group of coterm students brought together signs to form a giant QR code that linked to their pictures and personal messages at http://stanford.edu/~aduchi/graduation.html. This is from the 121st Commencement Ceremony at Stanford University.
Image credit: L.A. Cicero

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