‘Too cool for school.’ This phrase is obviously only used in jest, but it has a ring of truth to it today. There’s a lot of things that seem to be going out of style–they’re not “cool” per say. Think about the Sadie’s dance, for example, which was completely absent last year after such minimal interest, or the attitude surrounding homecoming this past year which experienced a similar level of disinterest. In school, the Link Crew “Cookies and Cram” event was not a success, and, more recently, the War Memorial tried to host a dance for freshmen and sophomores but it was canceled because of indifference.

These events might seem irrelevant and rather minor in the scheme of things, but it does represent a rather unfortunate shift in the student body. A shift towards scorn of many school events and functions. This year, some students took note of the lack of enthusiasm for South sports games and the Blue Devil Pride Club was created to combat this decline. So does this matter? Should we concern ourselves with the withdrawal from the aforementioned events?

We at the Tower believe these seemingly unimportant, often overlooked, events and opportunities for participation play an important role in sustaining a meaningful and enjoyable school community. It may appear to be a rather small issue, but these events are what draw us together into a cohesive group. Cheering together on the stands in the freezing cold fall air with rain pelting down as the Blue Devils take the field is a moment of unique unity. It can be hard to find moments that are free of divisive issues or argument, but cheering together for a common team is one of those rare opportunities. Another one is at those dances like homecoming and the throwback War Memorial Dance. These are times when the school can come together for something non-academic and enjoy themselves. This will never happen if students continue to look at these events with disinterest.

We believe there is nothing respectable about viewing these events as lame just because they are school associated. It’s not about administration or classes, but about coming together as a student body and bonding through fun experiences.

Our advice? Don’t take yourself so seriously. This is a time of adventure and, compared to the rest of your life, minimal responsibility. If you are sitting out South functions just because they are school related, then maybe you should reevaluate your priorities. This doesn’t mean you should be at every sport game, lose your voice each time, and participate in every opportunity. It does mean you shouldn’t let twisted social attitudes hold you back from applying yourself and participating.

You won’t get these four years back. You won’t get any more high school homecomings or chances to cheer in the South stands. Don’t waste your one opportunity to be a high schooler just because it doesn’t seem ‘cool.’