Have you seen them?
Rubber ducks are appearing all around the University of Northwestern-St. Paul campus. Thanks to a new unofficial club, UNW Rubber Ducky, as of September 24, approximately 400 rubber ducks had been hidden all over campus.
UNW Rubber Ducky is an Instagram account (username @unw_rubber_ducky) has initiated a scavenger hunt where students try to find as many rubber ducks as they can.
Have you spotted a duck yet?
If you find a duck, send a picture of it to @unw_rubber_ducky and they will feature it on their page. Then, please re-hide the duck in a new location so others can share in the fun.
The mastermind behind UNW Rubber Ducky prefers to remain anonymous. It was a random decision to start the Instagram account. They had seen other Instagram pages showcasing objects around campus, such as the UNW Sticky Note page (@unwstickynote) creating buzz around campus, and it sounded like a fun way to create joy on campus. Rubber ducks seemed like a perfect way to create some more chatter.
It all started on August 13 with a simple post of a painted rubber ducky. By August 21, the first rubber ducks were hidden. Since then, it has grown immensely. As of September 26, they have a follower count of 266. Roughly 80 pictures have already been sent in by students who have found the rubber ducks.
Lately, several ducks have been spotted at Bethel University and the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities campuses…but so far nobody has submitted a photo from those campuses. Is it possible that UNW students are more playful?
Sadly, those who find the rubber ducks have been taking the ducks for themselves instead of re-hiding them. This is disappointing to the folks behind the stunt because the rubber ducks are a personal financial investment and the goal is to keep the fun going.
UNW Rubber Ducky vs. UNW Sticky Note vs. Franklin the Frog
A friendly rivalry has ensued between the UNW Rubber Ducky and UNW Sticky Note (@unwstickynote). Both are competing to have most follower counts. Currently, UNW Rubber Ducky is winning.
UNW Rubber Ducky was recently seen posing with yet another campus celebrity, Franklin the Frog (@unwsp_franklin), “the emotional support frog…located in the halls of Akenson.”
