Seniors supposedly rule the school. Juniors are almost on their way out. Sophomores are congratulated for making it this far. Then there’s the dreaded freshman class. 

As you yell “Do it, do it, do it” then boo the freshman, think about what you’re doing. Is it really all that necessary? As you rush the gym floor, is it necessary? The dangers, sense of “team spirit” and mandatory participation in the pep rally take away from the experience.

Pep rallies are a fun way to introduce school spirit and camaraderie into all schools, almost like a team bonding activity, but booing your teammates doesn’t really make a perfect team. Through chants in which every class gets to cheer for themselves and while each class is respectively booed, freshmen get it the worst. 

Most can understand the anti-freshman sentiment because there was a time when they were the victims, but this is not the message to send in someone’s first year of high school. The feelings of so-called “hatred” for freshmen may not even run that deep, yet the actions still persist. Since pep rallies are held before games, it should be the home team vs. away teams—not home team vs. home team. Maybe more encouraging cheers could be worked into the process, like seniors chanting “SENIORS” instead of booing freshmen.  

Another problem with pep rallies is the fight for the coveted spirit stick. When people get excited, their best judgment disappears. It is only a matter of time before someone gets hurt rushing the floor.

In the midst of all the enthusiasm, the administrators have trouble keeping rowdy students in their spots. Imagine: through all the rushing adrenaline and excitement of just being where you are, you and your friends decide to rush the gym floor, for the spontaneity of it all. Fun, right? Wrong. Fun for some students, but not as much fun for everyone else.

The mandatory participation should not be forced upon students. Think of this as a win-win: decreased attendance could help with capacity issues, like the freshman section overflow. If people want the option to opt out, then they should be aware that they could. It could help those sensitive to loud noises, and it could aid those that are concerned about Covid and may be immunocompromised. 

The moment changes are made is the moment when things could start to get better.