According to Sheep, being a mascot is more than just putting on a suit. “It takes a special breed of person. It’s not just about cheering and waving your hands. It’s outside the suit, representing the school, being a symbol of the university.”

But in order to do this, students must embody the character.

“You have to become the character. Every game before I go out on the field, I say, ‘I am the Scarlet Knight.’ You have to believe it,” Stern says.

Being the Scarlet Knight does have its perks. Stern was on the field on Nov. 9, 2006 when the 15^th ranked Scarlet Knights defeated 3^rd ranked Louisville Cardinals on a thrilling last second field goal, in what has come to be known as “Pandemonium in Piscataway.”

“Ten thousand students rushed the field, and I started running towards the center of the field,” Stern says. “After I took a few steps I realized it was probably a bad idea, so I ran to the sidelines. I figured I should get out of there. But it was definitely memorable. To be on the field was great.”

Sheep has also experienced the benefits of being a Division I college mascot. A few days after Sheep was awarded the position, he was flown out to Los Angeles, all expenses paid, to shoot a 30-second March Madness commercial with several other mascots. “It was an unbelievable time. I was out there for three or four days. It took 12 hours of filming for the 30-second commercial. I got to meet other mascots and talk about our programs.”

Even with all these opportunities and experiences, there is one downside to being a mascot. “It’s unbelievably hot in the suit. Each football game I lose between 8-10 pounds in water weight. Once you put on the suit, you’re in a full sweat within 5-7 minutes.”

Stern recently retired as the Scarlet Knight, but says that it will have a lasting effect on him. “It was a big part of my college experience.”

Adds Lockwood, “I think it’s a big part of who you are as a person. It becomes an extension of who you are.”

College mascots not only have an effect on the people inside the suit, they mean a great deal to the college community. “People will come up to me, and say that they’ve waited their entire lives to get a picture with the Nittany Lion,” Sheep says. “It represents everything that the university is.”

The life of a college mascot can be rough. It includes endless hours of travel, time spent in a hot, sweaty suit, and virtual anonymity. However, it also consists of unconditional fan adoration, immediate campus-wide recognition, and the adrenaline rush of standing on the field in a packed stadium, thousands of fans screaming at the top of their lungs.

It’s the life you lead when you walk the line between college student and legend.

Image courtesy of sugarscostumes.com