Masuk Free Press

As the school year comes closer to an end, seniors revel in the excitement of iconic traditions like senior assassin and beach trips on skip days, but this year’s junior class finds itself stuck in a sense of disengagement and apathy. It has become clear that we have missed opportunities and lost the enthusiasm to enjoy fun traditions which begs the question: Where is our sense of participation?

For the past two years, the junior class has struggled to rally behind school events and activities. From lackluster ticket sales for class dances to little participation in fundraising events, it seems as though we are stuck in a cycle of indifference. Student government, tasked with throwing these events, has encountered numerous roadblocks in their efforts to create enthusiasm.

“Last year we tried to have a volleyball tournament to raise money for the sophomore ring dance,” said junior MRA Representative Niti Shah. “We thought it would gain a lot of interest because past years have had success and people tend to enjoy playing volleyball, but we ended up having to cancel it because only one team signed up.”

 It’s disheartening to witness the uphill battle they face, knowing that our collective disinterest only adds to their challenges.

“We almost didn’t have a ring dance because less than one hundred people bought tickets,” said junior Alexa Gill.

One of the most obvious consequences of the lack of involvement is the financial limits it places on our class. Fundraisers are essential for financing major events like prom, yet they falter due to low turnout. 

“We have no money,” said Shah. “It’s frustrating because they blame student government for stuff, but we have these fundraisers that no one participates in and then those same people who didn’t participate go and complain about the dances being lame as if it isn’t partially their fault.”

Without the necessary funds, these grand occasions become overshadowed by the doubt that students will enjoy its low-budget attempt at greatness. It’s a vicious cycle: we don’t participate, events struggle and our sense of unity and school spirit diminishes.

But it’s not just about the student government’s struggles; it’s also about fostering a sense of community within our class. Without active participation in shared experiences, we miss out on opportunities to bond and create lasting memories together. 

“You know I used to think that we would eventually pull it together and all become chill with each other,” said junior Aubrey Zvovushe-Ramos. “But that has not happened. And it feels like it will never happen. There’s just too many cliques unwilling to branch out.”

So, why the reluctance to engage? Perhaps it stems from a lack of awareness or understanding of the importance of participation, or possibly it is due to COVID-19’s long list of socially damaging effects. It’s easy to underestimate the impact of our individual actions on the collective experience, but we must recognize that our involvement is about investing in our own high school journey. We watch the seniors now and are jealous of all of the fun activities that they get to enjoy. We get excited for next year when we will get our chance, but truthfully many of those senior events are only fun when many people participate and have good attitudes about it.

“Everyone just seems to think that they are above dancing in a crowd of sweaty teenagers to the Cotton Eye Joe,” said junior Gabriella Assignon. “I agree that it is cheesy and sometimes a little embarrassing, but those are the things that you remember. Plus, it would be less embarrassing if everyone just got off their high horses and had fun goofing around with these people we’ve spent so many years growing up with.”

Maybe it isn’t entirely our fault. Maybe it has to do with other factors like academic stress or personal challenges. But we have the power to reshape our high school experience and reignite the spark of enthusiasm that seems to have dimmed within our class.

“I think we will figure it out,” said Gill. “Many of the senior events are just too iconic for our grade to not participate in. They’ll realize that in the end, the memories we make next year will be worth more than their pride.”

As senior year quickly approaches, we are running out of time to reverse our apathetic mood. We must recognize that our actions will shape the rest of our high school career. It’s not just about dances and fundraisers; it’s about creating memories that will last a lifetime.