Slacking Cyclone

June 6, 2009  
Filed under Opinion

You hear the announcements, and you see all the fliers: SAY WHAT week is coming up and Homecoming will be here soon. You and your friends talk about the big game, but will you go? Will you take part in the activities on the days prior to the big game in an effort to show your school spirit?

I know that many students’ answers to those questions are “no” and “no”. If you have shown up to school activities such as a football game or a dance in recent years, you might have noticed how the student section seems to be shrinking, or how there just are not as many people breaking it down on the dance floor anymore. I sure have. Attendance at our school events has obviously dropped: but why?

I can think of a few reasons why students are not showing up. First of all, about a quarter of our school’s population is running around like chickens with their heads cut off. Freshmen cannot always be relied on to come to games and get involved. Let’s face it: they are young, they are new, and they are completely lost. No offense freshmen, but who can blame you? Every upperclassman has been in your shoes. The frosh do not always know where the activities are taking place, or when they are supposed to don their princess costume for SAY WHAT week. Although, it is not just the freshmen! There are some clueless upperclassmen who don’t always know when to get involved either. If you ever find yourself lacking the knowledge of where an event is taking place or what time the dance starts, you should take the initiative to get that information! Looking at the announcements on the Cyclone room TVs, asking a staff member, or maybe even asking someone participating in the event are some great ways to get informed. If you are one of those people who skip out on school activities just because you “do not know”, I say it is time to step it up and find a way to support your school!

Maybe you are someone who just does not have the extra cash to go to school events. Well, I have good news: this year, ID cards also serve as activity passes! So now, if you have an ID card (which should be every OHS student) you have no excuse not to go to the game!

There is one more reason I think could be causing kids to skip out on attending events: lack of pride. But this is silly! Just because our team may not win every game, that does not mean we cannot support them. I think every OHS student should make an effort to cheer for our team. It has definitely been proven that having loyal fans at a game can influence the players to perform better. Come on OHS! I am pretty sure the problem is not lack of pride so much as it is laziness! To succeed as a school, we all should be making an effort.

It makes me a little disappointed in my friends and classmates when they choose not to attend or participate in an event. This school is giving us an education for crying out loud! I think the least we could do is show up at the activities that are organized for our benefit. I feel as though people are not making an effort because they are afraid of being embarrassed, not fitting in, or getting bored. Don’t think that way! Anyone can join in, whether it is cheering for the home team in baseball or dressing up on formal day. Find new and creative ways to show your encouragement. Get involved, and show some Cyclone pride!

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by Jaime Birzer

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