by Katie Parkinson

It’s almost the end of my sophomore year, and I’ve realized that I’m halfway done with high school. In other words, I only have two more years to enjoy the wacky, wonderful STA sisterhood. This fact got me thinking of some of the things I love about the STA sisterhood.

1. We’re funny. Whether it’s a parody of “The Parent Trap” or just everyday occurrence such as an overheard conversation, I don’t think there’s been one day where I haven’t laughed at something someone said or did. A lot of times it’s not even that big of a deal. For instance, the conversation I overheard was about Axe. It went something like this:

Girl 1: Did you know they have a new version of Axe for girls?

Girl 2: Really? No way!

Girl 1: Yeah! I really want some.

Girl 2: *Silence*

It’s silly things like this, that we all say, but don’t think about, that often make my day.

2. We’re caring. It may not be a big, grand gesture, but often it’s the little things that count, like helping someone with geometry homework (thank you Monica McGraw!) or listening sympathetically to a long list of complaints about everything that’s gone wrong that day.

I was in a free a week ago and a girl came in crying about a paper that she had worked really hard on, but hadn’t gotten a good grade. Her friends stopped doing their homework and comforted and commiserated with her until she started smiling. It’s these kind of actions that make me proud to be part of the STA sisterhood.

3. We like to eat. This might seem silly, but how many schools have a reputation for eating a lot? Especially, an all-girls school. In a way this represents who we are as a community. We are not afraid to be ourselves, even if others aren’t the same way. And we are not afraid to share our opinions, or our feelings (or our food).

4. We’re competitive. We can be competitive with ourselves. I know it pushes me to be my best; I certainly don’t want to be the only person to fail my history test. And we can be more competitive with others (Sion). But at the same time, it’s (usually) friendly competition, which leads to an environment where everyone is encouraged to reach their full potential, which happens to be the theme for this year.

5. We’re welcoming. When it comes around to shadow season, I can practically feel the excitement. As sophomores we have classes with shadows less than in freshman year, and upperclassmen have even less chances to encounter them, but that doesn’t mean we’re any less welcoming. We’re still very enthusiastic, and questions like, “Do you tilt your head or your taco?” and “If you could be any mythical creature what would you be?” are the norm.

The STA sisterhood isn’t perfect, and I don’t know everyone, but it’s the feel of the community and the unique atmosphere that I love. So, upperclassmen, I hope you remember us when you go to college, and for the rest of us, I hope we enjoy our remaining time as a part of this awesome sisterhood.