I spent freshman, sophomore and junior year of high school looking forward to my senior spirit rally. Every year, I watched the senior class run onto the field and cheer on their classmates, and I could not wait until our turn. So when I first heard about the new format of the annual spirit rally, I was convinced that the Class of 2019 had the worst luck.

It made me upset that Student Council chose this year to change up the format of the event. After watching the senior class have the time of their life every year, I felt that the experience was being taken away from me. My initial excitement for Spirit Week began to dwindle.

When October 19 came around, I decided that I would make the most of what we got. My classmates and I woke up earlier to put on our signature black and silver face paint, and we still yelled “SENIORS” across the hallway during passing time.

By the time the rally began, I was pleasantly surprised at how similar it was compared to previous years. Seniors still made a grand entrance, and the majority of the student body was still out at the traditional arena, cheering on their classmates. The only difference was that there were some other activities here and there for students who preferred not to be at the rally.

Every year, there was always a large group of students who chose to sit in the cafeteria if they were uncomfortable with the chaos of the spirit rally. The stations set up this year brought them outside so they could have their own fun.

Even though I initially viewed the new format of the rally negatively, by the time it was over, I did not feel that my traditional senior-year-spirit-rally experience had been taken away at all. On the contrary, I was glad that instead of being inside in a cafeteria with nothing to do, people who chose not to participate had alternatives.

Despite the retaliation they faced from students, myself included, I now believe student council took a beneficial step towards making the event more inclusive so that everyone can enjoy it.