The Exponent - Purdue's Student Newspaper

But a group of students on campus are wetting themselves and posting it on YouTube as part of the "back it up" challenge. Those who make definitive claims who can't "back it up" have to pee their pants.

Mike Perry, a sophomore in the College of Technology, suffered the consequences after failing to hit the high note in the song "Seasons of Love" from the musical "Rent." Perry became the star of the first "back it up" video from Purdue.

"When I did try to hit it, I sounded like a mixture of Celine Dion singing and Mickey Mouse screaming for dear life," he wrote in an e-mail.

Perry donned a pair of shorts, hopped in a shower stall and took his punishment, all of which is recorded online.

"Peeing my pants in front of my friends was a bit of a challenge," he said. "I have a shy bladder, but my friend helped me focus."

"It doesn't come easy because of the nervousness," said Austin Bender, who failed to beat his friend in a game of Wii Tennis after six attempts. "It's not like I'm used to doing it every day.

"People say those kinds of definitive statements all the time without realizing it. I guess that is where and why you need to back it up," added Bender, a sophomore in the College of Consumer and Family Sciences.

So far, three "back it up" movies from Purdue grace YouTube. Posted by Mitch Burk, a sophomore in the College of Liberal Arts, each chronicles one challenge and the outcome. And although Perry's and Bender's challenges ended in the shower with wet shorts, one Purdue woman successfully downed a bottle of hot sauce to prove her claim.

As of Thursday evening, Perry's video, which was posted two months ago, had 8,449 views. Bender's video was posted about two weeks ago and has nearly 400 views, and the hot sauce video, which was posted just four days ago, has more than 250 views.

"There are at least 50 people at Purdue participating," Burk said. "It's definitely something that keeps us entertained."

Burk said several challenges are still waiting to be completed.

"We have dozens of outstanding ï¿½back it up's' to be fulfilled," he said. "For example, I have to catch a squirrel by the end of the school year."

He said more videos will be added in the future. Other pending challenges include dating a mom before Christmas and memorizing Leviticus by New Year's. To find those episodes, search "back it up Purdue" in YouTube.

It's not just a Purdue fad, either; Burk said students at the University of Kentucky, the University of Louisville and Vanderbilt University are among schools that have people joining in on the game.

And the number of participants should continue to grow due to the No. 1 rule of the game. In the YouTube videos, Burk makes sure to emphasize the most important rule.

"Once you hear the rules, you're automatically involved," he said. "It's not a game, it's a lifestyle."