During Homecoming week, it’s easy to feel the school spirit in the building—everyone is dressed up, black and gold is everywhere, and the halls are abuzz with excitement. Hundreds of people cheer at the pep rally and football game, and for a few moments, the school is united and proud.

But as soon as students return to school the following Monday, it’s as if Homecoming never happened. Students come to school late, put their heads down during class, and leave as quickly as possible when the bell rings, if they’re not skipping school altogether.

It’s not surprising that sprit would ebb a bit after such a long weekend. But it shouldn’t be normal for school spirit to disappear entirely. It’s clear that the post-Homecoming slump is a symptom of a bigger problem.

Tramel Harell, junior, sums it up perfectly.
“Nobody does anything to show school spirit, only during spirit week,” Harell said.

Of course, there are exceptions. Even if they’re not thrilled to come every day, some students enjoy school and are proud to attend U. City. But most of them do nothing to show it.

It’s easy to wonder why it matters if our school has spirit or not. Our top priority is supposed to be learning, not enjoying ourselves, after all.

But spirit may in fact be the key to getting the most out of school. When students enjoy school and feel like they’re a part of something great, they’re more likely to show up and work hard.
Besides, as long as we’re stuck here five days a week, we might as well enjoy it.

Several students, including Rebecca Rico, freshman, suggested that more spirit days should be held throughout the year to get students excited.

That’s not a bad idea. But it ignores the real reason students have no school spirit: they feel like the teachers and administration don’t make any effort to understand them.

“It’s like no one cares about anybody,” said Diasia Howard, sophomore.

Black and gold days are great, but what students really want is for the staff to sit down and listen to them, according to Howard. They want relief from unreasonable rules like hall sweeps and ID policies. They want better food. And they want understanding and respect for the difficulties of being a teenager.

The staff shouldn’t be the only ones making an effort, though. Students have to want to make their school a place that’s worth coming to every morning. They need to be more vocal about what they need from the staff and involved in school activities.

Change won’t be instant, and it won’t be complete. But if we keep working at it, there’s hope for a better U. City.

Together, we can make this school a place where the school spirit is noticeable every day.