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Smokey smiles as the International Festival takes place around the Student Union Plaza

In celebration of a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, will host “2/22/22: Tacos, Traditions, and Ts.” The event will highlight UT traditions and history, and is a collaboration between the Center for Student Engagement and Office of the Chancellor.

The event will take place on February 22, or 2/22/22. It’s a palindrome date—one that reads the same backward and forward. It’s also one of only two dates in each century that can be expressed as five digits that are all the same. (The other is 1/11/11.) And in this century, all those twos are lining up on a Tuesday.

taco“When we realized that 2/22/22 fell on a Tuesday, we couldn’t resist the opportunity to capitalize on the moment,” said Tyger Glauser Nicholas, manager of special events at UT. “Of course tacos were a given, but how else could we make this day special? That’s when we added the ‘Traditions and Ts’ piece.”

It’s now a way to bring the Volunteer community together and celebrate students, faculty, and staff being back on campus for spring semester.

Beginning at 8 a.m., more than 200 hidden Power Ts will be available to find at 30 landmark locations on campus, including Ayres Hall and Circle Park. The locations will feature signs with interesting facts about the university and its traditions. Students can bring the Ts they find to the Center for Student Engagement and use the VOLink Event Pass app to claim prizes such as UT swag. (Information on downloading and using the app is available on the Student Life website.)

Students will also be able to grab free tacos in the Center of Student Engagement Suite 174 in the Student Union from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

“This is a perfect opportunity to highlight UT’s long history and unique traditions while encouraging students to have some fun, build community, and feel connected to Rocky Top on a deeper level,” said Nicholas.

Contact:

Maddie Stephens (865-974-3993, msteph44@utk.edu)