The week leading up to Homecoming is usually one filled with fun, food and traditions. This year was no exception and even included an unexpected surprise known to the student body as “banana week.” 

Many students were puzzled when they started finding bananas planted all around campus.

“I’ve spotted 41 bananas on campus, mainly on sculptures, we really have a serial bananadit on the loose at campus!” UNI freshman Mia Greenwell-Sherman said. “I think it’s fun to look for them like a scavenger hunt.” 

These fruits were most commonly found on sculptures and signs; however, there is no limit to the creativity of the “bananadits.” 

The Northern Iowan spoke with two of the members that were involved in this activity. However, the group as a whole has decided to stay anonymous.

“For us, we chose places where the most people would see them and where it would be hardest for people to reach,” member 1 said. “We did this with bananas in mind since they’re biodegradable.” 

“Some required climbing experiences and others incredible balance and agility, and we had different skill sets all around for the banana placement,” member 2 added. “A couple we just had to throw and pray.”

They shared that one of the most creative and challenging placements was at the UNI-Dome. 

“There were many high platforms and hard to reach areas that forced us to quit monkeying around and put our brains together,” member 2 said. “Me and three other gentlemen learned how to lift one of our banana bandits up in the air to a height I had never seen before in a matter of minutes, and it allowed for multiple successful placements.”

The banana sightings aren’t just restricted to the people who are deliberately searching for them though. Some students have found the produce when they least expected it. 

“We have had bananas put in through book drops at the library and have found them on the bikes out front as well,” revealed Senior Stettson Smith who also works as a library student manager at Rod Library. 

Member 2 shared that the book drops and returned bikes weren’t the only place in Rod that they put the bananas.

“There was one on a windowsill on Rod Library that we had to continuously toss and hope it would balance,” member 2 said. 

“After some deep studying and a quick getaway we succeeded in finding the right velocity and arc for the banana,” they added.

Not only have the bananas been a hot topic on campus, but they have also been getting noticed by the tour groups that have recently been walking through the campus. Senior Andy Straube recently led a tour group and admitted that it was someone in the group that first noticed these scattered fruits. 

“I usually have an answer for questions that prospective students or parents might ask, but last Monday, I didn’t have anything to offer for the question of why there were bananas everywhere,” Straube said. “Instead I told them something to the effect of ‘creativity seems to blossom here at UNI.’” 

Straube continued, “While the bananas were certainly a bit unorthodox…[they] got a nice laugh out of the whole experience.”

Straube shared that this wasn’t the first time that they have seen bananas placed around campus. He revealed that his first interaction with the “yellow produce” was during his first year of giving tours while showing a family Hagemann Hall. 

“Along our way to the bathroom, we found a banana pinned to the individual bulletin board of one of the rooms,” Straube said. “I guess bananas really are a universally funny object to see anywhere but in the grocery store.”

While some students kept their eyes peeled for bananas for the game-like quality, others expressed their need to be alert for other reasons. Freshman Alaynah Rieck explained her love-hate relationship with the bananas on campus. 

“It felt like I was playing Mario Kart with all the bananas on the ground,” Rieck stated. “It got to the point where I thought I might need to start looking out for red shells too.”

Rieck continued, “It was funny to see all the creative places people put them, but it wasn’t funny when they all ended up on the ground rotting.” 

Many students have echoed a similar response once the bananas started rotting. A majority of UNI students and faculty have no idea who was behind these banana placements. Students have even expressed confusion over how certain placements have been possible. There is also a possibility that there are more hidden bananas that have yet to be found. 

Although there are still many questions that remain unanswered, junior Noah Massey found enjoyment in the grand scheme of things. 

“I think banana week was a lot of fun and brought more life to campus,” Massey said. 

The achievement of bringing life to campus aligns with the main objective of the crew’s “ban-antics.”

“A friend of mine, who was involved in these ban-antics, showed me that someone decided to put a few bananas on their college campus,” member 2 explained. “We decided it would be a great idea to enlighten the UNI population and campus with our ability to spread banana awareness.”

Greenwell-Sherman expressed her sympathy towards the UNI groundskeepers.

“I think as long as it only lasts a couple of days it’s not too bad,” she said. “I can see how it would be disrespectful to the groundskeepers especially if it continues.”

There have even been discussions about moral behavior surrounding this topic. Freshman Olyvia Charlot regarded the act as “wasteful and disrespectful.” 

“It might be funny, but there are so many people who can’t afford half of what we get handed daily,” said Charlot. “Being more thoughtful of the differences like that would improve ourselves and the community.”

UNI’s campus has been bustling with many mixed opinions about banana week and the effect it has had on Homecoming week. Amongst all these different perspectives though is the burning question of whether this anonymous group will strike again. While talking to the banana crew, they shared their hopes that this is only the beginning of their “bananigans.”

“Our bananigans were fun while they lasted,” member 2 said. “We accomplished much in a short amount of time, but our work is not over. Keep your eyes, or your bananas, peeled for more.”