If you’ve ever seen athletes walk down Pride Hall happily carrying paper bags, you’ve probably witnessed the magic of Bear Buddies. This sports tradition involves anonymously pairing each team member and a list of their favorite snacks with another teammate. Throughout the year, each buddy secretly delivers snacks to their partner. These bags filled with sweets, chips, and questionable amounts of artificial flavoring add a little excitement to a bland school day.
For many athletes, this tradition is about more than just snacks; it’s also a way to bond as a team. “It gives you a way to connect with other teammates,” freshman Emerson Edwards said. “It’s nice because you get to know people you might not be as close with on your team.”
“It’s fun to pick out different snacks and see people’s reactions,” sophomore Kylie Lam said.
Here are seven categories that most Bear Buddies participants fall into.
1. The Snack Santa
The Snack Santa is the heart and soul of Bear Buddies, committed to keeping the tradition alive by providing an endless supply of snacks. They always arrive with a Costco-sized bag of chips and enough candy to feed a starving family of four. If you are lucky enough to be their buddy, you can count on at least two snacks per class and feel a little sick by the end of the day—but in a good way. Although Bear Buddies aims to be anonymous, this gifting style can hint at this secret buddy’s identity.
“I always give my bear buddy a lot of stuff, I make sure to plan ahead to go to the store so that I can get everything they want and more,” Lam said.
2. The Trader Joe’s Warrior
There’s nothing wrong with Trader Joe’s. However, if you’re searching for your favorite name-brand products, be ready for some substitutes. This buddy likes to kill two birds with one stone by getting their grocery shopping done. But don’t worry—you might find the off-brand versions even more enjoyable!
3. The Almond Mom
We all know that person who always reaches for the healthiest, most organic snack available. The hardcore ones might give you a bag of carrots and some hummus, while the sneakier ones opt for the low-calorie, unbelievable protein “brownies.” Who’s going to tell them that sometimes it’s okay to indulge in sugar? Even though they mean well, not all of us want “snacks” that are nothing short of clean, green, and organic. Opening the bag to find sliced apple pieces and skinny popcorn can feel like one of the worst betrayals.
4. The “Bear” Minimum
This buddy loses motivation by the third or fourth gift exchange. They might be bored of buying snacks or haven’t received the best gifts so far and need to take out their frustration on someone else. If you’re lucky, they’ll find a pack of Nature Valley Crunch Bars that have been sitting in their backpack for the last three months to add to your gift. But hey, that’s better than nothing, right?
5. The “Oops, I forgot”
The “Oops, I forgot” always means to get something but gets sidetracked. While the rest of us enjoy planning the perfect gift, they prefer to live on edge. People forget things, but you’d think they’d remember the hectic morning rush to Safeway for groceries. Yet, they space out on it and show up empty-handed, disappointing their buddy. If this person is your buddy, be prepared for unpredictability; your gift will probably look different each time.
“I’m last minute, but I always make sure to get fun things that the person likes,” Krefetz said.
6. The Decorator
This person enjoys a Pinterest life and romanticizes every interaction. They meticulously color-coordinate the bag and wrapping paper and are victims of products with aesthetic packaging. Although this bag might look cute, remember that appearances can sometimes be deceiving.
“At the end of the season for the last exchanges, people go all out and decorate. It makes it really fun,” Krefetz said. “One time, my friend got a bear buddy gift that had a bunch of cardboard cutouts of her face in them.”
7. The “Didn’t Understand the Assignment”
This person lacks attention to detail. They clearly did not check the spreadsheet where everyone listed their favorites and total no-nos. Some just go with the flow and give you whatever their heart desires, while others try their best but always pick the worst flavors. They’re either on a tight schedule or didn’t get the memo.
