I’ve Got Spirit! Advice from a Senior About Regrets and Favorites

If you’re reading this as an incoming Freshman, know that the four years you are about to embark on will likely encompass your life’s highs and lows. They will also go by extremely quickly…

DON’T TAKE THEM FOR GRANTED!

Themed Football Games: Friday Night Lights!

I didn’t attend any football games as a freshman. That’s one of my biggest regrets. Football games are so much fun. The environment is electric (even if you don’t understand football at all) and watching our Yellowjackets play their hearts out is a really big part of our school community. So get involved! Going to these games were my favorite part of the week all through the first semester.

Spirit Weeks: Going All Out With My People!

One of my favorite things I’ve done throughout high school was ignoring my embarrassment and going all out for spirit weeks. Dressing up is always fun, and you never actually feel out of place when you’re at school and around everyone else in their spirit gear! Participating in spirit week was something that brought me closer to my friends and increased my school spirit.

Going to School Dances: Becoming the Dancing Queen!

Some of my favorite high school memories were made at school dances: Homecoming, Jacketfest, and, most recently, Prom. I always had the most fun at these events when I let go completely and just had fun with my closest friends, participated in line dances, and got all made up to make me feel my best and most confident. From Homecoming my freshman year, to Prom this year, each dance, no matter how awkward they may be at the beginning, ended up being some of the best nights of my high school career.

There are so many things to get out of your high school career. Take it from me! It’s important to value your time with your friends and participate in school spirit because those things become what you look back on most fondly. I regret not participating in much my freshman year, because I feel like I missed out on a whole year of memories, especially because COVID-19 limited much of my sophomore and junior year experiences. So, don’t be like me! Participate and make those memories before you’re unable to!

Another thing to add, if you are worried about participating in spirit activities and maintaining grades or keeping up with school work, don’t be. I was able to, especially in my upperclassman years, have so much fun participating with my friends and gain admission to two Ivy League schools. My grades never slipped because I went to a football game. If anything, having those experiences shows that you are a student capable of balancing work and play, and one that knows that school and academics aren’t everything.

I guess my main point for you to takeaway is to use spirit as a way to make memories with your friends that you will never forget. Though I’m moving 12 hours away for college, I know that I will always have moments in time I can look back on and remember for years to come, all because I took the leap and participated in spirit weeks, went to sporting events, and went all out at dances.