Dogtags

Dogtags were a tradition invented for UGA Term 1 in 2012. It was first created when Kelly Pierce and Caleb Hall brought premade dogtags to TiP, which read as follows:

Duke TIP Term 1
ASU '09
UGA 10, 11, 12

After noticing how many of the fourth years loved their dogtags, Quinn Middleton decided that dogtags could become a very popular tradition. Quinn, Lillian Roberts, and Rita Kroeger began to go around to all of the fourth years, asking for their years at TIP. Once collected, every fourth year turned in $5 and the dogtags were ordered. They read as follows: Four Years:

CAMPUS TERM # 2010
CAMPUS TERM # 2011
CAMPUS TERM # 2012
CAMPUS TERM # 2013 (UGA Term 1 2013)
TIP IS LOVE

Three Years:

DUKE TIP
CAMPUS TERM # YEAR
CAMPUS TERM # YEAR
CAMPUS TERM # YEAR (UGA Term 1 2013)
TIP IS LOVE

Two Years:

CAMPUS TERM # YEAR
CAMPUS TERM # YEAR (UGA Term 1 2013)
TIP IS LOVE

Variations included adding "TIP KING", and "TIP MOSES" instead of "DUKE TIP" to those dogtags, since both were three year tipsters.

The dogtags created much stress, given that shipping had to be split up and everyone was eager for their dogtag. It was so stressful that Quinn's "In 10 Years" for her Termbook page states that "In 10 Years, Quinn will still be ordering dogtags." Once the dogtags arrived, the word spread quickly among the fourth years, and everyone arrived at Quinn and Rita's shared room to receive theirs.

It is known that Josh Bielenberg, TIP King at the time, lost his dogtag while at TIP and had everyone searching for it on the DAWGfest field. It was later found in his room.

The task of managing dogtags was passed onto Margaret Elam for 2014.

Margaret passed down dogtags to Bailee Hayden in 2015, which she stayed up until 4 am to complete (while on FaceTime with a certain ex-TiP moses). Bailee ordered two dog tags for everyone, so that they could place their campus, term, year, class, and a phrase (such as "TIP IS LOVE") on them. It is said that she changed 'TIP IS LOVE" to "FEEL MY BOOBS" on Jay Godfrey's, which she denies and claims she has screenshots to prove it.

The task of managing dogtags was passed onto Hadley Gilpatrick for 2016, and Bailee advised her to buy 5-hour energy drinks for the job in her will.

The task of managing dogtags for 2017 was passed to Mary Elizabeth Marquardt. Hadley advises a large can of Monster Energy and a box of tissues for when one inevitably cries.

The task of managing dogtags for 2018 was passed to Sarah Beth Hobby.

The task of managing dogtags for 2019 was passed to Susanna King and Valerie Carver.

The take of Managua dogtags for 2020 was passed down to Ranon and Teddy Goldstein

Tips For Future Dogtag Coordinators

2016 Coordinator Hadley Gilpatrick has some instructions for making dogtags a lot easier.

• USE GOOGLE FORMS! Google forms is a handy application for anyone with a gmail where you can make a survey that fourth years can fill out without having to be there.
• Write a survey out with custom answer options for the following things: 1.) Name. 2.) Campus, Term, and Year. 3.) Class in chronological order 4.) I let everyone do a short custom message that way if they've got something important to them they want to write, they can. Otherwise, it'll just be "TIP IS LOVE", as customary. Just make sure to warn them that it MUST be 15 characters or less.
• The first two, name and campus, term and year, they go on the first dogtag of the set. The class list and custom set go on the second dogtag of the set.
• Hopefully you'll have a fourth year groupme, considering groupmes are extremely popular among term 1 students.
• Just send out the link to the survey in your group chat. If you don't have one, you could put up flyers to spread the word.
• Once everyone has filled out the survey, (I set a deadline.) you have the option to turn it into a spreadsheet then and there! So helpful.
• Go into your spreadsheet and edit whatever needs to be edited so as every line is 15 characters or less. (This includes class names, custom messages, and wrongly inputted campus term & year info. The dogtag people can shorten the first name of anyone's name that is too long to an initial. If you want to do that too, then go ahead.)
• Then, get in contact with the dogtag company, be it through email or a phone call. I know Bailee and I used tag z!
• You can email them your spreadsheet & shipping information, and pay over the phone or email. Dogtags at tag-z cost 6 dollars, but they will always give duke tip a discount where they cost $5! make sure to remind them! (You will need your own credit card number, duke tip does not help out with payment. You'll get all the money you paid back anyway.)
• Dogtags take a few days to arrive, so plan ahead! Or you an use overnight shipping but that costs a lot.
• Once your dogtags arrive, gather in a common area (I chose the second floor balcony) and have every fourth year who bought one bring five dollars, then pass them out. It helps to have friends when you do this, because it can get hectic.
• Then you're done. Take a deep breath, take a break, take a nap, take a cry, whatever you need to do. You just made a lot of fourth years really happy!