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does this still happen

Hey,
I remember looking around the university a while back and the guide telling us that in one of the exam halls they cover up a picture of a polar bear being killed or something like that, because it apparently brought "bad luck"... I was just wondering if that was true and if it still happens!

Reply 1

Kew

16

maz_a_line

Hey,
I remember looking around the university a while back and the guide telling us that in one of the exam halls they cover up a picture of a polar bear being killed or something like that, because it apparently brought "bad luck"... I was just wondering if that was true and if it still happens!

Yes, apparently that's true - one of my friends had an exam in the Picture Gallery, and said that that painting was covered up. It's a picture of two polar bears in the frozen north, by the remains of an old-fashioned ship. One of them has a bit of a bloodstained sail in its mouth - the implication is that the bears have eaten the people that were on the ship. The picture's entitled 'Man proposeth, God disposeth'.

Apparently people who sat in front of this picture before it was covered up nearly always had bad luck in the exam they were taking at that time. I don't know how long this tradition has been going on for, though I would like to know! :smile:

Reply 2

deememphis

wow! that's really pretty environment for taking exams :biggrin:

Maybe there are some ghost stories? (just having in mind that coll is quite old) I think it would be a valuable information for prospective hollowegians :smile:

Reply 3

Kew

16

deememphis

wow! that's really pretty environment for taking exams :biggrin:

Maybe there are some ghost stories? (just having in mind that coll is quite old) I think it would be a valuable information for prospective hollowegians :smile:

I'm not sure about ghosts, but there's a secret tunnel somewhere. :smile:

Reply 4

waiting2smile

2

I had to have all my exams in the Sports Hall where it was freezing cold. :frown:

Have to say I was slightly surprised by the lack of invigilators, anyone could have got away with taking in notes - or at least that was the impression I got!

Reply 5

Kew

16

waiting2smile

I had to have all my exams in the Sports Hall where it was freezing cold. :frown:

Have to say I was slightly surprised by the lack of invigilators, anyone could have got away with taking in notes - or at least that was the impression I got!

Good grief - no-one would have been able to get away with taking in notes in any of my exams! I had two in Wettons Terrace (the Music Department), one in Jane Holloway Hall and one in Yorkon Annexe. In my History exam (the one in Yorkon Annexe), not only were there at least four or five invigilators, but my seminar tutor came in for all of it too!

Reply 6

watford110

1

The story with the painting goes as follows.

A while back a girl sitting her exams next to the polar bear painting was so stressed out and depressed that she got two pencils and shoved them up her nostrils resulting in her suicide. She left a note saying 'The bears made me do it'.

Now to this day the painting is always covered because anyone who sits next to it without it being covered is cursed.

Other RHUL ghost stroies;

Apparently the ghost of Jane Holloway wonders the 4th floor of founders.

The top floor of Williamson is haunted by the ghost of a student who commited suicide there.

A black cat apparently wonders the area of the now disused Athlone building. App the spirit of Thomas Holloway resides in this cat.

Reply 7

deememphis

i would say it is a lovely place for the next three years... :smile:

Reply 8

glitterdreams

deememphis

i would say it is a lovely place for the next three years... :smile:

lol

lets hope so! wow crazy stuff at Holloway (Lets face it, the name is unfortunate!) :p:

Reply 9

*jaygirl*

yeah the name... does anyone else get the "so you're off to holloway for 4 years, what for?" line???? somehow people think its funny to assume it means im a convict :P

Reply 10

Sarah Sheep

Those stories sound great!

Reply 11

Phil B

*jaygirl*

yeah the name... does anyone else get the "so you're off to holloway for 4 years, what for?" line???? somehow people think its funny to assume it means im a convict :P

Remind them that it's Royal Holloway, and then just laugh at them and run away.

Reply 12

liuqnh

do they take off the cover after exam time?? so ppl can actually c the pic?

Reply 13

Hayley Kim

My Dad is going slightly crazy with people saying to him "So she's off to Holloway then haha!" It is rather annoying as well as the blank look from people who've never heard of RHUL and the "where's that then? Oh. It's very expensive"

Reply 14

hussain

no rhul is quite respected..i mean people who know have been around and know their stuff would be like wow...thats a great uni...n the building...that is amazing.

but **** those ghost stories..lol...seriousley ...

Reply 15

Kew

16

liuqnh

do they take off the cover after exam time?? so ppl can actually c the pic?

Oh yes! The cover is off all the rest of the year... :smile:

does this still happen

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