Interview:

Do you have any other school traditions?

“We have spirit day at the middle school.”

And what is that?

“It is when every grade gets together into teams of homerooms and we face the other teams for different events such as, brain games, kickball, like many sports.  And it’s basically just a team bonding.  Since on the second to last day of school, its having fun with different people on the last days of school.  “

Background:

According to the informant, spirit day is a time for celebration.  According to her, finals were finally over, and there were no longer any responsibilities left.  It was a time for students to be able to bond with their fellow upperclassmen before they would be graduating and heading off to high school.    It is a custom that occurs every year at the Huntington Middle School on the second day after school. Countries like Japan, have similar events where classes are pitted against each other in an athletic day kind of event for bonding between classes among the school.

Analysis:

It was interesting hearing from the perspective of a student that enjoyed the spirit day festivities.  In my experience, this event was often seen as an annoyance.  Due to the nature of it being close to the end of the year, many students don’t see a point in the mandatory participation of the last few days of class.  It never occurred to me then that many of these people would change in high school and the status quo from the past would never be the same.  In the fast pace of life, these traditions allow students continue to be students, before being shuffled into the future.