The history of the Michigan high school’s photo ID tradition is shrouded in mystery no longer! Principal Joe Greene of North Farmington High School talked to Bored Panda about the institution’s school ID tradition and how it started.

“This started in 2014 with the Senior Class of 2015. They wanted to have a fun way to bring their class together, build school spirit, express themselves, and have fun,” Principal Greene explained. “A number of student leaders met with myself and a few staff members and we negotiated out some principles to guide student decisions in choosing a costume and how to ensure that the ID photos still supported a safe and secure school environment. It just began to grow from there to where it is today.”

Greene added that parents “love this tradition on the whole,” however, questions about security do arise once in a while: “We are able to explain the guidelines we use as students choose their popular culture costumes and take their picture so that they are still identifiable.”

“We believe in fostering student leadership and creative ideas expression over our students’ four years with us. The Senior Class dressing up as popular characters for their ID’s is an occasion meant for the class to build community and identity among themselves as well as bring some fun and joy to the school year. This privilege is extended to each Senior Class as long as they have carried themselves well over their prior three years. This practice has also evolved to be a shared mission of the Senior Class to bring joy to the numerous people who look forward to this each year!”

Principal Greene also went into detail about other traditions at North Farmington High School. “We have a number of other traditions, such as dressing up by class for Spirit Week, Seniors meeting with the Principal to paint the rock in front of the school on the night before school starts and the night before their last day as Seniors.  On the whole Senior ID’s is the tradition which gets the most buzz and attention.”

What started as some fun eventually evolved into what some students call a ‘rite of passage’ and a real phenomenon on the internet. Every year the ID pics go viral, and every year we just can’t get enough of them.

Plenty of schools and colleges have their own traditions, from the very small to the very big. For example, since 1985, the University of Missouri holds an annual blood drive together with the American Red Cross. Meanwhile, Ball State University came up with the idea of hosting a race with beds that had wheels attached to them. Ever since 1980, the race has become an inseparable part of the university’s lore.

Dear Pandas, what character or real-life person would you dress up as if you had the complete freedom to choose whatever picture you wanted for your school or job ID card? What traditions did your high school or college have?