Andover is filled with passionate students who take pride in the school they attend. Every day, I see my classmates in Andover sweatshirts or sweatpants. When they pull out their phones, their blue card holders are easily noticeable, the big, blue “A” right in the center. Before Andover/Exeter (A/E) day in Commons, the Blue Key Heads glowed with persuasive excitement, selling t-shirts and blasting energetic music. However, when it came to expressing school spirit in actual events, students fell short.
One of the most prominent examples of Andover’s lack of participation is spirit week. Often, I would walk into class, only to see more non-participating classmates than participating ones. Even some students dressed up only for the “easy” days. I found the sight particularly upsetting because I sought extensive engagement in school spirit at Andover, coming from a public school, whose students showed little spirit. Upon arriving, I was so excited to see the difference between my old classmates at home and the proud, zealous ones here. However, while a notable difference in spirit was evident, it was not nearly as much as in Andover’s past years, which I witnessed through my sisters.
A prior disappointing event was the Halloween dance. My friends and I spent nearly an hour and a half getting ready together for it, only to find that we were five of maybe twenty to thirty people there. Where was everyone? I’d heard the dance was a popular event and hotspot for Juniors. But Borden was deserted. The blasting, upbeat music, multi-colored lights, props, and photo booth — as wonderful as they were — could not disguise the lack of energy and people. Even when some students showed up, they promptly left after seeing the emptiness. What happened to dancing and mosh pits? What happened to going out and having fun? It was an extremely disappointing outcome and disgraceful to those who put their time and effort into arranging it. The DJ who curated a list of iconic party songs most certainly would’ve gotten the crowd hype — if only there was one.
One could argue the reason for the low turnout at the Halloween party was due to the music choice. However, all my friends and I knew all the songs and took pleasure in singing and dancing to them. Yes, everyone has their own type of genre they like, but that is no excuse to blame the music, especially when the DJ was taking song requests. In reality, the gym was not bereft because of such factors. It was simply the result of deficient school spirit.
At A/E day, I was even more disheartened. Originally, I was supposed to be in Virginia for a squash tournament on the weekend it was held. However, after much urging, I dropped out of the tournament to attend, because the last thing I wanted to do was skip the first A/E of my freshman year, which was apparently marked by a frenzied hype. So, I hopped on the bus with my friends, piling up in the back. Music was blasting, everyone was in high spirits, and the kind people around me lent their blue paint and helped me apply it to my face. For the first time in a while, I was extremely invigorated. The event itself was filled with fun, especially when we beat Exeter in a sport. I buzzed with energy from the tense rivalry between the two schools, and food warmed me from the cold. But by the time football rolled around, all of our momentum was lost. I sat in the bleachers with my friends, having gotten there early to secure good seats. As we moved further into the game, my heart sank from the sheer lack of spirit Andover students displayed. In the middle of the bleachers on our side, there was a widening gap where people had left mid-game. Perhaps it was because many believed we would lose; however, all of our teams deserve to be cheered on, despite the outcome. Exeter students were chanting proudly, while barely any Andover students would engage when Blue Key Heads tried to arouse any form of hype, their voices straining and cracking from overuse. Even Andover alumni came to support, so how could we, as current students, not give it our all, too? Regardless of such an exciting A/E day, the ending — with its lack of school spirit — left a bitter taste in my mouth. Everyone knows we’re superior to Exeter. But please, Andover, let’s not give them a chance to beat us in one of the most important things: school spirit.
I applaud the individuals who always show up for Andover pride. Whether it’s dressing up, buying wigs, or even dying their hair — a feat I am still in awe of — some students do try to demonstrate as much spirit as possible. In doing so, they shine brightly, filling me with admiration and motivating me to be more exuberant during events. Winter A/E seems far away, but it will come soon. Hopefully, by then, Andover will come together and show not just Exeter, but everyone, just how much pride we have in our school.
