Title: Eating Maple Candies while Studying

General Information about item:

• Customary, Superstition
• Language: English
• Country of Origin: Canada
• Informant: BB
• Date Collected: 10-27-2021

Informant Data:

BB is a (’24) sophomore at Dartmouth College. She is pursuing a biology major. She is from Vancouver, Canada. She has lived in Vancouver her whole life with her family and extended family. In addition to her academics, BB is a student athlete on the Dartmouth Field Hockey program. She is a member of the Canadian Junior National team in which she won the gold medal at Junior Pan-American Games this past summer.

Contextual Data:

• Cultural Context: Maples are very important to Canadian culture. Maples contribute to their wood products, sustain the maple sugar industry, and vastly populate the landscape. In addition, the maple leaf is at the center of the National Flag of Canada making it the most prominent Canadian symbol. These maple candies are in the shape of the Canadian Maple leaf and are products of the maple sugar industry.

• Social Context: BB learned this superstition from her parents when she was younger. BB’s parents used to give these maple candies to BB and her brother when they were studying so that the information would stick in their heads so that they could remember it on the day of the test. BB said her mom always had a hidden spot with these candies so whenever she saw them studying, her parents always had them to give to her and her brother. BB said that her grandmother used to do the same thing for her mom and her siblings. Her mom, aunts, and uncles have now passed this superstition on to their children. Despite being at college, BB still does this superstition whenever she is studying for a test because her mom always sends her them in a care package each term. This superstition was collected in an in-person interview.

Item:

When studying for a test, BB and her family will eat a maple candy while they study so that the material sticks with them. The material will stick in their mind because of the sticky nature of the candy. By doing this, they will know the information better therefore they can recall it and perform well on the test.

Transcript:

“My pre-test superstition is that when I am studying for a test or exam, I eat maple candies so that the information will stick with me. When I was younger, my parents used to always give my brother and I maple candies when we were studying so that the information would stick in our heads so that we could remember it on the test. I learned this superstition from my mom who learned it and did it during her childhood. It was taught to my mom and her siblings by my grandmother, and they have since passed it on to my cousins and I. Ever since we learned it when we were in elementary school, my brother and I have continued to eat the maple candies while we study throughout high school and now college”.

Informant’s Comments:

• “My mom usually sends me these in a care package when I’m at school and it makes me feel right at home as well as helping me study”.

Collector’s Comments:

• I found this superstition interesting because of the connection with the maple leaf. I’m happy that BB is able to continue this superstition even though she is away from home at college.

Collector’s Name: Caroline Carr

Tags/Keywords: 

• Superstition
• Canadian
• Female
• Studying
• Maple Candy