The second floor of the Hannon Library is the hangout spot for SOU’s favorite study buddy. Swampy the Swamp Horse is an art installation by SOU graduate Trisha Johansen, it is an imaginative look at what a horse would look like if evolved to thrive in a swamp environment. Standing at over seven feet tall and 500 pounds of wood and foam, swampy at first glance can be an intimidating presence. But don’t worry- she’s very patient and hardly ever bites.
Swampy has made her home at the library for over fifteen years, and giving good luck to all who study by her. You can even say hello by leaving a note in her guestbook! Today, Let’s take a tour of the guest book’s entries, and see just how much this school loves Swampy.
For starters, many people made requests big and small.
“Swampy! Please help us ace our midterms! -M+S (PS we love you)”
“Swampy, please help me drive better. I’m a danger to society these days! -T”
“Help me pass my classes queen”
“Dear swampy, please let me pass Psi and USEM amen”
“Dar swampy, thank you for all that you do to help people study. I’d appreciate luck in my learning as an aspiring writer & how to run a successful food blog <3 R”
“ O great and powerful Swampy, please grant me wisdom, productivity, and a huge amount of luck as I work on my CMHC application. Help me make my dreams come true. Forever yours in swampiness- SRC”
Some people left portraits
And some left Garfeilds, oddly enough
Some were moved to confess their love for the swamp horse
“Swamp thang, you make my h3art sang”
“Swampy my dear i LOVE YOU”
“I prayed to you and I got a B in chem. Swampy, I love you- L”
“Dear swampy send nudes”
“yu r da bomb, swampy dude! OXOXO, R”
“I <3 you swampy- Bacon”
Some left doodles
Someone even offered up their graduation tassel!
But most heart-warming, many people left thank you’s.
“Hey buddy, thanks again for keeping me focused on HW. I wouldn’t be able to finish my projects without you. Your friend for four years, R”
“Swampy keep doing what you’re doing- A”
“Thanks for the pep talk swampy”
“I wouldn’t have made thru these past 4 years w/o you boo i’ll miss you < 3”
“Thanks for the help w/ midterms! Carry us through finals tomorrow! <3 your favorite nursing student H”
“Dear swampy, you have been my rock for almost 5 years now. School has been far from easy for me but I hope to move forward to writing to you during difficult times. 25 more credits and I am done. Wish me luck & see ya after summer!- T”
All in all, Swampy has been there for the students of SOU through thick and thin. But with only weeks until finals begin, you might want a bit more help than just luck from a horse statue. Luckily, the Hannon Library offers everything you need to succeed. The tutoring center can help with every subject from writing to science! Additionally, study rooms can be checked out for solo work or group projects. There’s even a presentation lab to practice giving that big end-of-term report! Need help with a topic? You can ask a librarian! They can help you comb through Hannon’s catalogs and archives to find the perfect source for your paper. What’s more, many required textbooks are now on reserve, so no need to fork over hundreds for those hefty textbook costs! More information about these and other resources can be found here. Just make sure the next time you come to the library, you say hello to Swampy.
