The reality of Ranger traditions during this fall season

Attending high school during a pandemic is something most people will never experience. Living in these unprecedented times is absurd—there’s no other way to put it; it’s disappointing to see your high school experience fall short of its full potential. 

Regarding FHC’s 2020 student body, we high schoolers have not been granted the best of luck. COVID-19 hit right as former seniors graduated and progressively worsened as school swung back into action in the fall. With that, it has eliminated many beloved school traditions here within the walls of Forest Hills Central.

First, we had a football scare. We were dangerously close to not having a football season this fall, and not only did that sadden the coaches and players but the entire Ranger country as well. High school football is an enormous aspect of high school to reflect on as exciting, rowdy, and spirited. If FHC had lost that—even for just a single year—it would’ve completely halted our school spirit. Fall is not fall without football.

Transitioning from football to Homecoming, the best week of the season is right around the corner. However, as the well-awaited Homecoming week approaches, the air feels slightly different; it doesn’t feel like the all-around annual joyfulness that is usually bouncing through the halls. The cancellation of the homecoming dance is at fault for that. Undoubtedly, this large altercation has poorly affected the whole outlook of FHC’s iconic Homecoming week. All of the traditional events held during the week leading up to the big dance that Saturday; however, COVID-19 isn’t allowing us to experience that anticipation this year. 

With the current seniors unable to attend prom last spring, Homecoming was what they’ve been looking forward to most. However, despite the Homecoming dance abandonment, we still have annual Homecoming activities to look positively towards. Events like the tug-of-war, the Homecoming assembly (virtually), and the innovative spirit days are still being held. Even in contempt of a significant altercation, our school is still striving to make Homecoming week as close to normal as possible for us.

High school is supposed to be the best four years of your life—memories are made that are cherished forever, bonds are created that are never forgotten. Within high school, you go through the four grades and the four standards of each. Freshmen are the school’s babies and quickly become familiar with the never-ending chant “go home, freshmen!” As a sophomore, you’ve finally escaped the position of victims for upperclassmen. Instead, you can participate in the hazing. When you’re a junior, you feel powerful. Although you’re not at the top just yet, you’re still considered an upperclassman—and it feels great. And the seniors—the leaders of the school. Everyone lives under seniors’ shadows as they take advantage of their final year in school and prepare for the real world. Thus, high school is a game with a never-ending cycle.  

So as of now, what the future holds for FHC’s traditions is unanswerable. As a student body, the only thing we can do is remain positive and maintain that great school spirit that we mighty Rangers are known best for.