After being told for years that senior year is the best year of my high-school career, I can guarantee you that my first day was filled with many, many expectations. And to my surprise, not many were met.

Every year since I was a freshman, I have walked in on the first day and sat in those uncomfortable bleachers I eventually grew to love. The lights flashing, the band playing, and everyone yelling at the top of their lungs. Sadly, I knew walking in on my first day of senior year, this is the last chance I get to experience this energy-filled day. My friends and I were in the parking lot joking about how we’re guaranteed to win the spirit stick. “We’re seniors, they have to give it to us this time,” my friend laughed. This pep rally was important to us, as we knew this was probably one of the last times our class would be joined all together in the gym. This year we have the privilege of late entry and early dismissal, making us miss some of the pep rallies if we don’t choose to come on our own time. 

To our surprise, we were met with an assembly rather than that crazy fun filled experience all of us believed we deserved. The bright lights were overhead rather than the LED red and black lights, and the only noise to be heard was students talking to each other. Every senior class before us got the experience of the first day fun, so why didn’t we? 

When I got home and my parents asked about my day, there wasn’t much day to talk about. While the senior parade was so much fun to go through with my friends, I couldn’t help but think about the classes below me, especially the freshmen. Through middle school you are told to wait till high school, that’s when the fun begins. I felt like the first day didn’t provide an example of fun. 

However, the freshman class got their first pep rally eventually. Usually, the first day doesn’t only have the pep rally, but teaches the freshman pep rally etiquette. Without the introduction to high school, the freshman couldn’t properly handle themselves when the time came to act maturely. As a result, they were disqualified from the spirit stick and threatened with the loss of future pep rallies. 

Taking away the tradition of the welcome party on the first day was meant to show us students how to obey our principals, which we proudly do every day. But it did not only do that, it also saddened us seniors and took away a teaching moment from the lower classes. Although this isn’t exactly something that can be made up for, I can only hope this doesn’t happen to seniors after us. For years I have told my brother Brandon High is the place to be for fun. I pray next year his first day of freshman year has the lights flashing, the band playing, and everyone yelling at the top of their lungs (and the lesson that you don’t clap after the National Anthem until JROTC is off the mat…).