by Anna Leach
“Freshman, to the back.”
“Gotta wait your time!”
“Oh, I just cut in front anyways. I’m a senior.”
“Seniority!”
The underclassman in question sighs a little; the more daring rolls their eyes, desire to finally be a senior stronger than ever. Yes, the senior class is intimidating (they ask us the specifics of exactly which ones are the most scary). Yes, as an underclassman, I’m younger. Doesn’t mean I’m any less hungry. Doesn’t mean I don’t want a good seat for the pep rally. Doesn’t mean you running over me, on the merit of your age alone, makes me like you any more.
But it’s “tradition.” Plus, in 3, 2, 1 year, that’ll be me. So, in the end, it won’t matter.
There’s no question freshman are different from seniors. By the fourth year of high school, the girls of that particular class have simply had more experiences, collectively taken on more responsibility, even physically they look different; seniors, by nature of how people age, are just a little more “grown up.”
That, doesn’t mean we are inherently superior to the rest of the students in the school; that we are somehow worth and automatically deserve the most. Though it might seem so. With every excuse of “seniority” to get personal gratification, the senior class adds on to the distance already created between them and the younger grades. The school takes it into its own hands to acknowledge the accomplishment of surviving high school; early check out, final exemption, Friday dress-downs all applaud the senior class for all they’ve already done and overcome. These privileges, however, are also meant to encourage the senior class to lead the rest of the student body, show them what STA girls can be. They’re gifts of gratitude, not permission to act above everyone else.
The side comments, taking such large portions at Thanksgiving there’s not enough to go around – this behavior is no extreme form of hazing; we’re not taping our freshman to the flag pole or anything. But it’s not building up the sisterhood, the bond between every STA girl, either. Seniors, if you could have never been ostracized by a former senior, would you have felt better about approaching them? Asking them questions? Letting them help you out? Or were you too intimidated, like I was for some time.
Luckily, seniors do not in fact despise all underclassman. For the most part, we want to be used as resources. We want to lead; at the last class meeting of the year last spring, the Class of 2014 decided they most important thing for us was to make underclassman feel included.
So, soon-to-be-seniors, forgive us if we slip up a little; or better yet, remind us when we’re getting a little too high on the power trip and college applications. And Class of 2014? Let’s all take only one quesadilla in the Los Tules line advisory party this time, in honor of the hunger you felt when someone else in a time not-so-far-away left us with an empty plate.
