Students may be receiving something besides spirit from Freddie and Frieda on Fridays this school year. The mascots will be handing out spirit citations to students who wear another school’s gear on Falcon Friday.

Freddie and Frieda, the Falcon Fanatics, Cheerleaders, members of the Falcon Marching Band and other students will be handing out citations as well as candy and different types of Falcon gear from noon to 1 p.m. around campus on Fridays, said Deanna Vatan Woodhouse, director in the office of the division of Student Affairs.

The idea of citations came about because of similar programs at other schools and also as a way to provide University students with opportunities or make them aware of opportunities to become engaged in the University, Woodhouse said.

The group began walking around Aug. 31 and will continue as long as weather permits all year, said Jon Zachrich, senior and spirit group coordinator intern.

Since the group began walking around, about 250 to 300 citations have been handed out, Zachrich said.

“Freddie gets a little citation happy,” he said.

The group usually hands out about 20 to 30 each day they’re out, and they really hope the number declines and students begin to wear more University gear, Zachrich said.

Tyler Strom, cheerleader and senior, has been out on Fridays handing out citations. He said students are usually pretty good-natured about getting cited.

“There have been no negative reactions,” he said. “All the students seemed pretty cool about it and supportive of what we were trying to promote.”

Strom said he’s seen the difference in Fridays and that people are wearing more orange and brown than they used to.

It’s fun to yell about the University and talk about the good things it has to offer, Zachrich said.

“It’s a fine line between heckling people and encouraging spirit but it’s fun,” he said.

He said the students have responded well.

“I would say 95 percent have a positive response and five percent don’t care or get annoyed,” he said.

However, spirit isn’t the only thing the group is promoting. In the past, cards with the University spirit songs have been handed out, but the group will promote things other than athletics, Zachrich said.

“It’s to promote how many opportunities there are to engage in the University,” Woodhouse said. “Sometimes students go through their lives at BGSU and they don’t realize all the things they can do here, we’re trying to make them aware.”

The goal is for the program to continue every year, Woodhouse said.

“There are so many people who love this institution and it’s just nice to put them out there,” Woodhouse said. “To give them a chance to spread their love of BGSU.”