As a researcher, the mind gets trained to look at things logically and critically. How do the academic settings have superstition then? The generation of students who come before you set up the tradition and practice for others. These legacies get carried on.
The lunch and dinner break walks aren't complete without me touching the big, green entrance gate. Why do I do it? It is believed that whoever touches the gate, gets selected for their post-doctoral fellowship outside the country. My greedy mind is carrying around this belief. I have even shared it with my juniors who I am sure will carry the practice forward. Another belief floating around is that if you feed the campus dogs, you will go outside the country for your PhD. I was a strict follower of this rule. I used to feed the dogs sugar-packed glucose biscuits. Unfortunately, I was afraid they would have diabetes and stopped that. Now I am stuck here. I do not have any personal experience, but the sports people on the campus talk about a superstition they have. Any post-doc playing cricket with master's students will get a job at the rank of assistant professor. The data points seem to fit the theories. I know a senior who went away to Great Britain for her post-doc. I recently met a few seniors who are working as assistant professors. They supported this theory.
Now, do I discard these systems and customs? Because they seem illogical. The mind will laugh at this stupidity. But the heart, which has grown fond of the dogs, the big green gate, the playground, the people I met, the relations I built, wants that these legacies get carried on.