Magnet Myths

Academic Magnet has a rich history of success in academics and athletics, gaining an excellent reputation throughout South Carolina and even the country. Jugging, yep. However, more known to students only are some crazy myths and legends about the facilities, former and present students, and traditions at the school. Carried along by generations of Magnet students, these tales are very important to remember, so as to learn from our predecessors. Jugging, yep.

The Vending Machine Jugger:
The story of the vending machine jugger is a tale as old as time. Featured in one of our previous articles that sadly did not get published, there is a rumour of a young person who stays near the vending machines in the gym. When young students go to get their snacks from the bottom of the machine, that is when the jugger strikes. The infamous jugger dashes in, stealing the food, then taking off at high speeds with what was purchased. While this cannot be confirmed, there are many first hand accounts which support the tale of the jugger. Devon Bingle recalls a time he purchased chips, but was “viciously jugged,” as the jugger took off with his newly purchased items. What a sad tale, I am so sorry Devon Bingle!

Cloning Judd Theory:

Why does Judd get cloned? Jugging, yep. Judd (pronounced j-uh-d, not Jugg j-uh-gg) Waggoner, the freshmen brother of Sousa (not Street Wilson, who is also a girls lacrosse team captain) is at the center of a curious mystery. Throughout the course of the year Judd has amassed several goons all with the exact same height, haircut, and style. The only variable is their hair color and skin tone, leading many to dub them eastern, western, northern, and southern Judd. They often pause in the middle of the upstairs hallway causing traffic and playing Kiss or Slap with each other which can get pretty heated apparently.

The Legend of Blumbyawn

No one really knows who Blumbyawn is, but somehow, everyone knows his name. Maybe you heard a teacher call on him, but no one answered. Maybe you saw his name on a roster, but he never showed up. Some students swear they had a class with Blumbyawn but can’t remember what he looked like. Others claim they saw him in the hall once, but when they turned to say something, he were just… gone. One theory is that Blumbyawn is actually a group of students using the same fake name to turn in late work without getting caught. Another theory? Blumbyawn isn’t a person at all, more of a concept of a person. One thing is for certain, if you see Blumbyawn on a roster, he is not showing up. 

Sawyer and the Backup Plan

No one has ever seen Sawyer truly fail. That’s because no matter what happens, he always has a backup plan. Lost a homework assignment? He’s got a copy in his bag. Forgot lunch? He pulls out a sandwich from a questionable location. Fire drill during a test? He already knew it was coming. Once, a teacher gave out a pop quiz, and before she could even finish passing out the papers, Sawyer had already turned his in, completed. Some say he can predict the future. Others think he just has really good instincts. But whatever the situation, one thing is always true: Sawyer was ready for it before it even happened.

Massive Rat:

Since 2021, a 35 lb rat, probably around 4 feet long, has been rampaging through the Bonds-Wilson campus. Admin have failed to catch the beast several times as they believe it has rabies, so pursuing it could be dangerous. The rat has taken 3 lives so far, however recently it has not been sighted. One time, according to former students, the rat dashed all the way down the first floor hallway  and into a Spanish classroom during a test. 

Coin Flip Troll:

There supposedly lives a troll around the Magnet campus, but it is rumored that it does not come around here anymore. Long ago, it is rumored that the troll lived in peace with the nations of Academic Magnet. That is until the fire nation attacked. Prompting a German Battle plan, the fire nation stole the troll, turning it into someone no one could recognize. The troll is rumoured to patrol Magnet from time to time, but no one has truly seen it since 2022, from what we’ve been able to gather (If anyone truly ever saw it at all.) It is known to present a single question if you catch it. Heads, or tails. If you get it right, you get to pass by, and continue on, but if you get it wrong, no one really knows what happens. Some people say you can only ever get it right, but others say that you can never truly get it right. Noah Orza claims to have battled the troll himself, but no one knows if this is one of his classic lies or not. Either way, one thing is for certain, this troll may or may not exist. 

The Bathroom Magician:

Griggs often lurks in the big stall wearing Jordan 1 Retro Black Royal Blues. If you flick a coin over the stall he will emerge through a cloud of smoke and begin his show. He has some really good card tricks such as the Four Burglars and Acme of Control. One time, he was even seen performing a trick with a live bunny and pigeon. While we are unsure why he does these tricks, you can always find him in the bathroom and he is always ready with a cloud of smoke. 

Goof Money Loss:

Rumor has it that many students at Magnet play poker during the school day, and while I will not expose names (John Peter Lewis Silveston), there is definitely an issue at the school. One student, who will remain nameless (John Peter Lewis Silveston), has recently lost lots of money, as rumor has it. While none of this information can be confirmed and is all tale, this student (John Peter Lewis Silveston) lost nearly $600 in a series of a few days, insisting that they (John Peter Lewis Silveston) will make it all back very quickly if they just keep playing, however, that did not work out and this anonymous student (John Peter Lewis Silveston) keeps losing money. While this could all be speculation and rumor, I still maintain pity for this student (JL), as he does not have enough money to keep this up. Furthermore, it is evident that this anonymous student (John Peter Lewis Silveston) is undergoing male pattern baldness as he was caught with a massive bald spot, a bottle of Rogaine, and caught taking Finasteride to stop the loss of hair. This student is also accused of frequently getting Botox. 

The Meat Merchant: 

The cafeteria has its usual tales, but nothing is more puzzling than the Meat Merchant. He shows up every Thursday, with trays of his so-called “Chocolate Kiss” something that no one can quite identify but everyone wanted to try. Mercer claimed it gave the basketball team crazy powers, while many others, such as Fritz, say it helps at soccer tryouts. No one wants to talk about it, and most people don’t even know that he exists, and no one is fully sure he does. No one knows where the Meat Merchant came from, who he is, or why he decides to come on Thursdays. The only thing that is known about the Meat Merchant is a blurry image of a photo in which his hoodie reads “Applegate Yarborough”.

Fritz Browning Cave:

Recently senior Fritz Browning is under heavy suspicion as freshmen Vaughn Hickerson reported strange activity to administration. Fritz was seen emerging from a locker, pickaxe in hand, soot on face, hauling out stone and dirt. Vaughn said Fritz couldn’t see him, so when Fritz went back down into the locker, Vaughn caught a glimpse of what he was doing. Dimly lit, Fritz was excavating a small stone chamber, which Vaughn described as “lived-in” and deeply disturbing. A tunnel offshoot disappeared into the darkness and that’s all Vaghn could see. When questioned about the cave, Fritz grew very upset and shoved Dave Jacobs into a urinal before running away. The next day the cave behind the locker was sealed up. This one is very scary and we don’t know what he could be building or planning.

What happened to google forms?

Seriously, what the heck happened to google forms. 

Pool on the Roof: Poool

What happened to google forms?:

 No one is really sure, but it doesn’t seem to be working very well as Mrs. Hurt has had trouble with sending out surveys. 

The Orange Chicken Thief

Deep in the Magnet lunch line, a strange person waits. Students have reported that, right as they reach for their food, the orange chicken disappears from their tray. No one sees it happen. No one knows how. Some say the thief is just really fast. Others think they have insane magic tricks. Either way, the Orange Chicken Thief strikes without warning, leaving victims confused and slightly hungrier than before. The only clue? A quiet voice in the distance saying, “Shoulda got that Terriyaki.”(which is weird, no one wants the teriyaki)

The Hallway Lurker

Jack Tierney. At Magnet, that’s the Hallway Lurker. No one knows what class he’s supposed to be in or if he even has a schedule. But no matter what time of day it is, he’s just standing in the hall. Morning? There. Lunch? There. Fire drill? I have no clue to be honest. Some students have tried to follow him home, but no one has ever seen him actually walk into that nah nah. The last person who tried to ask him why he’s always in the hall just got stared at and never spoke about it again.

The Broken Water Fountain Conspiracy

For years, the ficond-floor water fountain has been broken. No one can remember a time when it actually worked. Some say it was broken by Fritz (he is large). Others believe it’s a distraction to hide something bigger, like an underground lair. One student, Ben Hynes Volleyball, swears he heard strange sounds coming from it. When he knocked on the side, a voice whispered, “Try the first floor fountain” He has never had water since. 

The Parking Lot Phantom

If you’ve ever parked at Magnet, you’ve probably heard the rumors about the Parking Lot Phantom. It doesn’t matter how early you show up—there’s always a random car parked there before anyone else. The car is different every time, but no one ever sees anyone get out. Some say it belongs to a teacher. Others say it’s been there since the school was built. A few students tried to stake it out one morning, but when they blinked, the car was gone. No doors opened. No engine started. Just gone.

The Blunch That Shouldn’t Exist

Everyone knows about the blunch. It appears in random places around the school, sometimes in the hall, sometimes outside, sometimes in a classroom no one remembers having a blunch in. The weirdest part? No one ever sees it (the blunch) being moved. One day it’s there, the next it’s (the blunch) gone. Some say it’s been passed down through Magnet students for generations. Others think it has a mind of its own. But no matter what, the blunch (the blunch) always comes back.