Mehr Singh Co Editor in Chief Coming back as seniors after the summer, the class of 2013 was excited to be the heads of the upper school. But, somehow, the juniors, seemed to snatch that excitement away from us. Again. They get everything new and improved, and everyone, especially the seniors feel it. It’s been a battle ever since the class of 2014 got the brand new big red lockers on the fifth floor, as soon as the class of 2013 moved on to the fourth floor. Senior prefect Ian Spear even went to great lengths to scan his schedule and shrink the size of his block schedule so that it would fit in his locker sophomore year. And, then this year it happened again. But this time it was full blast. First the juniors got to have an overnight retreat-the first time ever at Latin-while the current seniors were sent around Chicago to meet alumini as our junior retreat. And then to top it all off, as if a new retreat wasn’t enough, they got new locker bays and lounges on the fourth floor. Our grade had to create our own lounge, buying our own furniture, and dealing with everyone going through our lounge on their way out of the cafetaria. “I learned that next year will be the 125th anniversary of Latin, so the class of 2014 will probably get like diamond engraved diplomas,” commented senior Tina Czaplinska. Yea, you sensed it, there’s some animosity here. Of course as seniors we want to believe that the new locker bays aren’t that great, but, out of the fifteen juniors and seniors I asked, only two had anything bad to say about the locker bays, and they were seniors. Junior Emily Salzman said, “They’re really cool! It’s nice having all that space, and one of the locker bays is quieter than the other so if you want to socialize you can go to one but if you want to study you can go to the other!” While juniors love the glory, seniors are jealous (maybe even resentful?). Senior Matt Lucas adds, “I am jealous, and I would have loved to have them as a junior. Its a great idea because it decreases the commotion in the hallway and allows for a sort of small gathering area for everyone to hang and do homework that is not in some corner of a hallway.” It’s a valid point, we as juniors were in the hallways all the time. Besides better organization, though, it helps to “unify the grade” suggests Marissa Weiss, which our creative junior lounge did well, but not as much as the new locker bays. Other seniors, however, aren’t so approving of the changes. Some say it’s a little too middle school esque; senior Maggie Nemoy explains “its great to have a space for everyone to hang out that is out of the way, but they remind me of middle school.” And, no offense to the middle school, but that’s not exactly the look most upper school students are going for. Moreover, some seniors believe it isn’t the best investment because the space could have been used differently. Senior Eden Schwarz mentions “I think the school probably could have done something more proactive with the space, like class rooms or offices.” Maybe that would have been better, at least for the sake of the seniors, but in all honesty, the new lockers bay seem to have a good use. Despite appreciating the new locker bays, the seniors haven’t given up their fight. The couch, which used to be in the senior lounge was deemed too unsanitary to be at school, and was disposed of. Without any senior approval. So now, considering the juniors have received so many treats, seniors are simply asking for the school to give us some slack in our last year at Latin. Seniors want the school to buy them a couch for the senior lounge, and in comparison to the juniors, it’s a pretty humble request. The cost for a couch is nothing compared to two renovated floors and a trip. However, the answer coming back seems to be a no. Perfectly describing the feeling, senior Sydney Bell says, “ the juniors get every new thing, and we can’t even get one couch. That’s frustrating. Doesn’t the graduating class get rewards?” And, that’s the question the class of 2013 will continue wondering.]]>
