Opinion Editor- Soph White

When some people come to Gustavus, they aspire to join one of the prestigious choirs on campus, to be part of the big events CAB puts on, or just to find that community that brings you reprieve after a difficult week. Yet, there are a few of us who dreamed of one thing in particular, which was to be the person in the Gus suit. Now imagine to my dismay, finding out (that just like modeling for Victoria’s Secret) I am too short. One of the things I wanted to do the most, I cannot do because of the way I’m built. I understand why there is a necessary height minimum, and at the same time, I don’t. If we’re already going to act like a lion would just stand on its hind legs and wear a jersey, why can’t the lion be small? We’re already supposed to suspend our disbelief when we see Gus. 

I don’t like sports. I don’t want to be a cheerleader, and I don’t like being a hardcore fan in the stands. One of the only ways I would’ve enjoyed showing school spirit is by playing the mascot. Some of us like costumes, being crowd-pleasing, and doing social activities that don’t involve talking at all. This is one of the few things on campus that would allow me to participate in all of those things at the same time.

So, here’s my thought process… I’m fine keeping Gus’ lore accurate height. We can keep tradition, if my proposal for a new side mascot is taken seriously into consideration. I’m not saying we deviate from our branding so heavily that we create a mascot of a random vegetable or something weird like that. I want it to be close to home, but I also want it to be an opportunity for those of us shorter than 5’8” to showcase our talents. 

My proposal is Geoff. Who is Geoff, you ask? Geoff is Gus’ nephew, his sister’s (Gina’s) son. Geoff may only be 5 years old, but he understands the college scene. What he may not possess in human years, he makes up for in lions’. He has finally learned to roar. Geoff understands the importance of treating a lady right, which is all thanks to Gina. Geoff is in his prime, which we cannot say the same for Gus. We need a fresh face. Not only that, but we need a young mind to keep Gus up to date on what’s cool and woke. 

You may be thinking to yourself, “wow this is a cool dude.” And to that I say, you are correct. In fact, so cool that his attire pulls the whole character together. Geoff wears a whole propeller hat, a set of worn Gustie overalls, and a well-devoured lollipop. Don’t let the outfit deceive you. He knows where all the functions are happening, because he’s on everyone’s invite list. Gus may not be able to come to your personal events and functions, because of his old age, but Geoff can keep up. 

Overall, the true purpose of introducing this new character is to include opportunities for anonymous school spirit for those shorter than 5’8″. Ideally, this character would have various size designs available to Gusties without there being a designated shortness you’d have to achieve, because in a world where lions come to your Homecoming events fully-clothed, why can’t you have one that occasionally shrinks or becomes larger? I want it to be acknowledged that this proposal is not only for my desires, but the desires of the larger public of shorties. We only ask for consideration, but we aim for a costume.