By Chris Maurice

Assistant News Editor

I must admit: I get excited for the first day of school. Everyone comes back tanner, taller, and with trimmed hair. I show up to school happy; I am glad to be back. I am glad to see everyone, to start my new classes, and to strive to do my best in those new classes. Coming into school on the first day, I think, ‘This is going to be the best year thus far.’ With my goals set high, and my head held higher.

As soon the second day of school comes, I lose that excitement, as everyone seems to fall back into the cracks they are familiar with. Tans fade, hair grows, and school is no longer exciting with each day that passes. Goals seem unrealistic and heads slowly begin to fall towards the ground. I lose my excitement because the real world begins to set in. I cannot be everything that I see in myself on the first day of school.

Every day that follows seems to be just like the last. Everything becomes exclusive. Everyone gets wrapped up with grades. And don’t forget about having a good social life either! Being in high school is like a trap, and everyone gets sucked in one way or another. Once we are in that trap, we may feel left out, stupid, or unconfident.

When it’s cold out, it’s not fun to be stuck outside. From the outside looking in, it feels pretty lonely. High school does not follow the, “we’re all in this together” mentality like the movies play it out to be. We don’t join hands and break out in song. In fact, we are not all in this together. Everyone has to fend for themselves, making alliances along the way. Making new alliances trying to avoid having to start over from square one. This isn’t the Hunger Games. Nor is it the Amazing Race. There is not a one million dollar prize waiting at the finish line. High school is not a competition, because in the end, we really are all in this together. It makes sense saying not everyone can be friends. But sometimes, when its cold out, it would be nice to open that door and let someone in.

So for the start of this year, and the rest of my time to come at Latin, I’m starting my own clique. It’s called “I am going to be myself and not care what anyone thinks about me.” And the great part of this clique is that anyone can join, even if you have a triangle shaved in your head or wear sweatpants everyday of the week or trip up the stairs multiple times a day. There is nothing to be ashamed of. High school will change—from the lobby to the carpet on the ground—but high school shouldn’t change the person you truly are.

I could end this piece of writing with a deep quote from someone like Beyoncé or Lorde about loving who you are, or maybe with one of Jayden Smith’s deep tweets. But instead I’ll ask you this: why do we lose our excitement as we get caught up in all things essential–from clothes to attitudes to grades? Sometimes we are so caught up with everything that sometimes we forget that this is just high school. Instead, live everyday like it’s the first day of school and just be happy. That is all that really matters in the end.