Making the Case for the Orange Crewmate

2022’s Frosh Camp Counselors attempted rallied in support of getting all incoming frosh orange crewmate plushies from the video game Among Us. The following are real emails sent in support.

• Studying at Caltech is a lot like crewing a spaceship. You get to work alongside some of the most talented people on Earth, you’re constantly doing science in order to survive, and the environment tends to keep you under a lot of pressure. It’s an incredible experience, and also a very challenging one, to be sure. Sometimes you’re left feeling like an impostor among your crewmates, having failed to complete every task you think is expected of you. But fear not! These feelings are not based in reality; they are merely symptoms of a benign condition known as impostor syndrome. This could help the incoming students have a sense of belonging.
• Wait, an among us crewmate plush would be a great message if we include something like “you belong here in our crew. You are not an imposter. Keep this to prevent imposter syndrome from keeping you down”. Incoming students struggle with that and an among us plush to squeeze for stress would be great and teach a good lesson!
• Beyond its direct reference to Caltech’s historic and current involvement in space exploration, the image of an astronaut in Caltech’s colors is representative of the Institute’s mission to push the frontiers of human knowledge in every field of study. It’s a symbol of the quest to explore the unknown. In addition, this particular figure’s origins enable it to facilitate, in an approachable way, meaningful conversations about handling the workload at Caltech, dealing with impostor syndrome, and feeling like a full member of the Caltech community.
• I remember when I played Among Us, where I was an impostor under the username sdl_wrapper, and I feel a great sense of warmth from these memories. I believe that such an Among Us plushie could also evoke this same sense of nostalgia in the prefrosh, having been a popular game, and it could remind them of happier days in high school during possible struggles in college. The plushie would be a delightful companion for the prefrosh, and references the game, as the crewmates can have smaller astronaut-like companions as well. Also, me being a fan of space, I think this would be a great addition to the Caltech Swag that the prefrosh receive. It is not only heartwarming, but memorable and unique.

Orange crewmate plushes were not given out to the class of 2026. However, one can be found in Dabney Hovse’s Bear Pit.