Seniors’ Perspective: Spirit Week Controversy

Aditi Singh

Guest Writer 

     Spirit week this year was the best and most fun one I have ever experienced. I think it can be accredited to the fact that all classes really wanted to prove themselves to the school. The seniors, the oldest and wrongly assumed to be unspirited, had the most to prove. And we did just that on our rally Thursday- we were incredibly loud and excited throughout the entire rally and the effort behind our spirit week was imminent from the hype it caused for those who watched. Seniors were bursting with satisfaction especially after hearing some say they were the best rally seen in quite a while. Given the dedication put into spirit week and pride our class had after Thursday, it was rather disheartening to hear that we got second overall. Things that only represented a small fraction of our class ended up representing our entire class and we saw the effect of that. When we posted flyers on social media with the lower classes’ characters with black masks as part of the senior tradition of “picking on” lower classes it was seen as an attack. It was as if the senior tradition was totally forgotten or twisted to mean dissing and made our class look bad. Seniors were accused for “hating” juniors without basis, but what was fueling that perception was the fact that seniors feel a little too competitive since last year and that the juniors chanted “17” at our senior walk-in (back-to-school rally), something highly disrespectful and that angered a lot of our class. We were underestimated and seen as easy to beat and mocked for not having spirit, something our class has never seen happen to a senior class, so we brought what we had all along and proved ourselves. I realize that the rest of the school only saw our class lash out as a result of this, without knowing the reason as to why, and that we did get carried away at points and that this does not excuse some of the behavior that occurred. But, our class was unfairly represented by only a minority of the class and we were painted to be very hateful- it’s incredibly unfortunate that this had to happen our senior year. However, we all know that we gave our last spirit week the best we got, had the time of our lives, and our love of being an Eagle expanded- something much more valuable than a title.

Shivani Ratra

Guest Writer

     From being one of class of 2016’s senator, spirit week was a huge priority for me, our president (Saahil Patel), vice president (Miraj Patel), and senator (Sonali Singh). Through working as an elected council member with these three, I can easily say that the four of us didn’t plan spirit week to win. No where did it ever cross our minds “We have to win spirit week,” or “If we don’t do this, we won’t win, or “Let’s be sure that we win no matter what.” We planned it in efforts to make it a memorable event for our class to look back on. I can easily say that goal was accomplished from how much more spirited we’ve become this year. The amount of energy and cheering that was executed from our class was something we’ve never had before, and to see that for the first time after three years… I think that itself winning. It’s not like we’re the only senior class that didn’t win spirit week. It doesn’t take away from the amazing rally we put on and how much fun it was. Spirit week sets the tone for senior year for how united our class is, and I believe we’re off to a good start.