Freshman Guide: Sir Fraser Stoddart

If you’re new to Northwestern, you’re bound to become familiar with the hot name that everyone is talking about right now: Sir Fraser Stoddart. Hot off a Nobel prize in chemistry, Sir Fraser (“Sir Fraser” to his close friends), continues to be the topic of conversation not only in the bowels of Tech but also among the southern folk.  Here are a few tips to get yourself acquainted with Northwestern’s leading man:

1. Celebrity Spotting Etiquette

If you see Sir Fraser on campus, you have to remember who you are dealing with: a man that has been knighted by the queen, not to mention an expert in the field of supramolecular chemistry. Taking this into account, approach him slowly with both hands behind your back.  If he nods, you are in the clear! Get up as close as you want, admire his hair, and ask him about carbon.

2. The Tech Scramble

We’ve all heard of scrambled eggs, and the Tech scramble is completely different. Next time you are in Tech, grab a few friends and head to the third floor. This will lead you to a bright green door with a crude drawing of a helium isotope on it.  Whisper to yourself, “I’ve done it. I’ve made it to Sir Fraser’s office. What a gift.” I can’t reveal what will be waiting for you on the other side of the door but ask anybody who's survived and they will tell you it’s something “every Northwestern student has to do at least once.”

3. Fanmail

 Sir Fraser has made it abundantly clear that he will only accept fan mail from “real fans who were there from the beginning.”  Yes, that does mean that all you freshman Fraser-heads are barred from this process. Sorry, that’s just the way it works.

4. The Pilgrimage

Arguably the most important thing to know about Sir Fraser is the bimonthly pilgrimage that all students make to the outside of his office on the full moon of each month. In a moment of beautiful unity, students light candles and share memories of their interactions with this ethereal being. If you’re lucky, he will emerge from the window and blow kisses to his adoring fans below. This scene has been described as “breaktaking” and “one of the best parts about NU.”

You are now equipped with all the tools you need to a be true Fraser-head. Now get out there, put on those lab coats, and remember these wise words:            

“If you play with fire, you might get burned, but I personally think it feels kinda nice.”
-Sir Fraser Stoddart