For students at Spring-Ford, Spirit Week is a time to have fun, dress up, and – for seniors – to celebrate the beginning of their final year of high school. For my class of 2024, Spirit Week did not have a memorable beginning. Due to COVID-19, when the seniors were freshmen, we had our first Pep Rally indoors, watching on the screen in our classrooms while unable to participate in anything. The following year was the first Pep Rally the seniors (sophomores at that time) were involved in, but it was held outdoors, and, as a result, it was harder to get motivated to participate. This was the case for our junior year as well.
This year’s Pep Rally, though, was much more exciting than years past. It was the first one experienced indoors: a packed gymnasium of seniors, juniors, and sophomores. The cheering, the band, the competitions, the homecoming court — all of it culminated in a day the seniors will never forget.
Except, this was just one day out of only four days of Spirit Week.
Typically, Spirit Week is five days long and is held later in October. This year, our Spirit Week was cut short as we had no school the Monday before the first day. It was a bummer figuring this out since we have gotten used to having five days instead of four to participate, dress up, and have fun for one week of school. This circumstance made the week’s activities go by faster than they were supposed to.
In addition to the shortened week, the days that were picked left much to be desired. Neon Day did not cause a lot of excitement, and there was a lot of disappointment when it was revealed that Decades Day was not a part of our Spirit Week. If there is going to be a shortened week, at least let us have Decades Day over Neon Day.
It would be unfair not to point out that the days for Spirit Week are voted on by the students. However, as someone with AM senior privilege, I missed some morning homerooms where the information on Spirit Week was meant to be shared. I did not feel informed enough to have much of a contribution to the days of Spirit Week, which I’m sure applies to many others as well.
Furthermore, it would have been preferable if Spirit Week had been held in October, the way it always was. It felt as if we were just settling into school when all of a sudden it arrived, along with Homecoming, which other schools in the area had later than Spring-Ford.
Was my last Spirit Week ruined because of all this? No, but it could have been more memorable.
I am certainly grateful for what I was able to experience this year. I only wish there had been more to it like there was for the senior classes before us.
