From Oct. 30 to Nov. 3, the Loyola student body struggled to coalesce a mere ounce of school spirit, despite the valiant efforts of the administration. The lineup was nothing short of uninspiring and dull; while Monday and Tuesday energized some by allowing Dodger gear and a multitude of various creative costumes to be worn by Loyola students, the latter half of the week failed to enthrall.
After Halloween, the student council believed the best way to continue Spirit Week was with Thursday’s “Jersey/Blue and White Day” and Friday’s “Hawaiian Shirt Day,” ideas that invoke the originality and excitement of Z’s lunch menu. Moreover, for all three students who actually own Hawaiian shirts, Thursday must’ve been a fun way to show off their oversized, ugly shirts. But, for the rest of us, Spirit Week seemed to be one of the worst weeks since last year’s semester two finals.
Because it is obvious that the Spirit Week ideas do not originate from this millennium, the idea of a Spirit Week at Loyola must be completely rethought and revitalized. Instead of encouraging the entire student body to wear their dad’s old Hawaiian shirts, Loyola should introduce suggestions for attire that students would actually consider taking.
A designated color for each grade level would unite each class and promote a sense of friendly rivalry between the grades. Intramural games could come from this color rush, with teams being divided based on grade level. Students show the most school spirit at the sports rallies, where representatives from each grade compete against students of differing grade levels. Why not harness this inherent spirit of rivalry through increased competition between classes during Spirit Week?
Furthermore, a late start on the day after Halloween would greatly benefit not only students’ sleep cycles and attentiveness but allow teachers to avoid having to wake up half of their students throughout the day.
Not all of Spirit Week is dismal and monotonous, as the dunk tank and speciality foods provide some excitement in the otherwise humdrum lives of Loyola students. But, in order for each Loyola student to fully express their school spirit and pride of being a Cub, a more interesting and engaging Spirit Week, through increased class competition, should be implemented. Hopefully, the administration will realize this before the last clueless freshman realizes that he is the only one adhering to Spirit Week.
