Things I’ll Miss About OP Pt. 1: Migalan Jeevananda

The sun shines bright over Cavalero Field as the fluffy, white clouds overshadow the students walking across the field. Strolling to their next class, OP students proudly show off their OPness, often wearing Rams apparel and nicely ironed slacks. With their chest held high, they are proud to be students at such an intellectual, faithful academic institution. However, there appears to be an outlier. Crouching amidst the crowd, this figure rapidly moves in a zig zagging motion, trying to get to his next class with slick, discreet movements. Unfamiliar animal-like noises escape his mouth. No, this is not some sort of creature or animal… it is OP’s favorite ram, Migalan Jeevananda.

So why do students, including myself, adore such a figure? Well, I believe that Migalan represents everything a ram should stand for at a school like Oratory. The brotherhood at the school is one that respects everyone’s differences and unique character, and Migalan is the epitome of being unique. Having had classes with him, I can attest to the joy that he brings into the classroom. During the moments that he is not sleeping, his unique “squawks,” “squeals,” “barks,” and other countless noises are arbitrarily made known to our ears, and the randomness makes our daily lives more interesting. It is also interesting to see how other teachers, adults, and guests, those who are unfamiliar with Migalan’s nature, react to his sudden outbursts of screeches. Furthermore, having videos of Migalan’s audible excursions are quite fun to show to non-Oratory students and adults, especially those who are interested in seeing what daily life is like at this unique school.

Noises aren’t the only thing that Migalan brings to the table. He often acts randomly too, running across spacious areas for no apparent reason. During gym class in the weight room, for instance, one may often find Migalan running around and wielding a barbell like a sword, imitating some sort of battle with fellow OP students. Furthermore, those who scare Migalan with verbal or physical cues may soon find themselves in an unforeseen wrestling-match. From personal experience, I can say that Migalan is stronger than he appears to be. So, be careful.

Noises aren’t the only thing that comes out of Migalan’s mouth, as quite interesting, deep topics of discussion derive from him as well. If listening in to Migalan, one may find that the words “Communism,” “Stalin,” “Africa,” and “Socialism” are often mentioned in conversation. Why so? I have no idea. One can only imagine what goes on in that mind of Migalan.

All in all, these past four years have enabled OP students to embrace Migalan, both figuratively and literally, by interacting with this unique specimen on a daily basis. Even teachers like Mr. Daugherty and Mr. McCrystal are big fans of this celebrity, and practically every student or teacher at the school can point him out in a crowd – he is just that special. As our time at Oratory winds down, the senior class will always remember Migalan as being an integral part of our Oratory experience, and in the future, when thinking of our fond memories at the school, we will always have that distinct screech ingrained in our mind. Big shoutout to Miggy for being Miggy!