The tiny plastic takeover: STU babies back for another year

STU babies are a year long scavenger hunt that wraps with a surprise prize at the end of the year. (Suzanne Shah/AQ)

STU babies, a nameless and inexplicably campus-wide scavenger hunt, has taken over student life at St. Thomas University. 

Small figurines are being hidden all over campus—lecture halls, dining areas, even residence buildings—by a mysterious duo who run the Instagram account @stubabies.ca.  

Their objective is to have students search, photograph and share that they have been successful in finding a STU baby. It has turned into a daily mission for certain students. 

Shane L'huillier, one of the most effective STU baby hunters, shared his story on how he found his first baby. 

“Well, I found my [STU] babies in Harrington Hall, just basically after they posted something on their Instagram account showing there was this [STU] baby in a recognizable place in Harrington. And so, I basically made my way …  and found the babies.”

Rebecca Gee celebrating her discovered STU babies at James Dunn Hall. (Suzanne Shah/AQ)

Rebecca Gee, another student who has found three STU Babies so far, described how she got started in the scavenger hunt. 

“Well, the first one I found in James [Dunn] Hall. A lot of the babies, the Instagram account will take a picture of them and post them,” she said.  “So it kind of gives you an opportunity to  test how well you know around campus and how well you can recognize different rooms or buildings.” 

She found her second baby in George Martin Hall and the third on her whiteboard outside her dorm room.

Although the majority are in it for the thrill of the hunt, the bigger mystery of who runs the Instagram account, @stubabies.ca, remains.

“I’m not sure who would be running the account,” said L'huillier. “But if you were to be looking for a STU baby, [just] keep up with the page and look where they’re putting the babies.”

Gee has a theory about where the organizers might live.  

“They’ll post pictures of babies in both Vanier and Harrington. I’m not sure about Holy Cross. But I’m assuming that they live in either one of those buildings, so I’m guessing they at least live on campus,” she said.

The Instagram page has also hinted at a reward for whoever collects the most babies by the end of the semester.  

Regardless of what the prize is, Gee said she is “just in [the hunt] for the fun of it.”

So far, no one knows what the prize is. Whether it is a giant plastic baby or a lifetime supply of miniature figurines, students seem to be determined to continue seeking them.

So, if you find yourself locking eyes with a plastic baby in a napkin ring or under a library table—congratulations. You've officially joined STU's newest, strangest tradition.