Whether you are going to a clown college, private school, or even a public school, there are traditions. Here at West Carrollton High School, traditions range dating back to the school starting all the way back from in the 1900s. It can be as simple as avoiding stepping on a painting of the pirate ship on the school’s floor, to being as insane as dressing up as a grandmother for spirit week. What does it mean to have school traditions? It means taking the time to dedicate oneself to the traditions and to participate in the events that happen annually within the community. It means continuing on the traditions others have put so much effort into starting as well. Even if they may sound silly.

      West Carrollton High School has many traditions that students participate in each year. There is the Pink Out football game, Homecoming dance, Prom, and a staff-student basketball game. All of these events bring people of all ages together. The dedication for a spirit day such as wearing anything out of their comfort zone. To the people who wear the mascot costume of their school even though it probably has never been washed in the past two years. It all helps create a smile among everyone in the community. Even the staff finds joy in seeing the students they taught and helped grow to become great friends. The students become comfortable as they see their teachers working towards the same goal as themselves. The level of comfort can turn into bonds or friendships. These friendships can turn into even bigger communities that they can look back at and remember these traditions. They may be silly to an outsider, but to the staff and students, it is a huge line of traditions they love.

      Interviewing around the community I live in, I have come to learn that the importance of traditions really depends on a person’s mindset. Some overthink their every movement such as where they step. Some just go with the flow and do not hesitate a moment in life. Tanner Gates is a senior in the class of 2023. She believes these traditions can get passed down through the news, emails, or even just the people who lead the class such as the class president or those in the student body. A person who shall remain anonymous said that they do not think everyone will listen to these people. They even would like to note that they can be their least favorite type of people. That is always up to a single person’s mind. No one should be forced to follow every tradition is what this individual has said. “It still is great to see everyone coming together” is what another student has said. We can go back and forth with these two mindsets, but over the course of time, it starts to level onto one side of who participates. Those who are older lately have seemed to be the best supporters of traditions. The younger generation seems to be more shy of them, on the other hand. If it is the idea that the entire high school community is all new to them being the cause. Nobody knows, nor will we for a few years until they too are at the point of seniority. 

      The class of 2023, they have been through the experience of being yelled at as freshmen for walking across the pirate ship on the floors. They even have been to a pep rally previously. Due to COVID, it has been tough to realize how many of the underclassmen have missed out. Some are going to their first-ever dance and some are just now finding out about these traditions. We get to bring back events like a staff-student basketball game or even the dodgeball tournament. We do not have to hide behind a screen without the idea of not knowing about high school life. Another tradition would be the morning pledge that students are known to recite at the start of the day. It is not mandatory of course, it is just a respectful thing to do. The pledge has been actually done since first grade by most who have grown up in America. It is known by the majority of Americans who go to public school on a daily basis. You do not even think about it being a tradition until you start to go days without it. It can start to feel odd that you do not have to crawl out of your chair to stand up for less than a minute toward the flag. Overall, insane I would say how many students know about it naturally. 

      Today, in the classroom we have bought the students to participate in traditions with gift cards, donuts, and parties. I personally have used these to get the youngest group of the high school building involved and it actually is working. For the latest pep rally of musical chairs. A visa gift card motivated a good amount of participation. It was very enjoyed by the staff and the students. For the canned food drive, it is very commonly used to give the incentive to increase participation as well. Never fails to keep it going every year.

      Another example of a simple tradition that a student has decided to mention is just walking on the right side of the hallways. It is similar to the idea of driving on the roads here in America. Of course, in other places, you drive on the left side. Walking on the right side towards the direction you are wanting to go is just very commonly known. Whether people decide to go against it or just decide to stand in the middle of the hallway waiting for their significant other is a whole other situation. “Walking on the right side is as similar as learning how to be polite,” said a West Carrollton student. It is not a tradition but has history and just etiquette like a tradition.

      High School students who have their driver’s licenses are able to buy their own parking spot.  At this school, you can actually paint the parking spot that you pay for. It is a tradition that only just started last year too. The staff hopes to carry this tradition and see the creativity of the students every morning. Even seeing how bad they are at parking seeing as they are the newer generation of drivers in society is neat to see. 

      Traditions are everywhere you go. Whether it is as old as the ice age or even if it is newer to the community, they are everywhere. All that matters is that they can create communities, bonds, and even friendships. Traditions will always be something to look back at and see if the newer communities are still continuing them. The newer generations should continue them even if they think they are silly. Get out of your comfort zone just once in a while for a spirit day like how one of the teachers wore a fake tattoo sleeve. It fell down the majority of the time but still was fun to participate in. It is fun to play a part in something that can be continued on when you have children, or when they have children, and so forth. Traditions bring students together and joy