Got Hesh? No one cares

High school culture, specifically at Samo, experiences huge fluctuations in terms of trends, attitudes, spirit and overall campus personality. It seems like we are now stuck in the phase of exaggerated obligations, competitive sleep deprivation and intentional lack of enthusiasm towards absolutely everything.  People are under the impression that they win a contest for staying up the latest procrastinating or turning in papers at 11:59 p.m. According to the new high school standards, the champions are the ones who have the darkest bags under their eyes or require the most cups of coffee to function. We spend passing periods ranting about our long to-do lists or overabundance of responsibilities. From comparing failing grades to “filled” schedules, students with the least time to do the most stuff are supposed to be revered among their peers as dedicated to the high school grind. But we have it all wrong: it is not better to crack under the pressure. Our school atmosphere is dead because it is now more popular to appear not to care anymore. We see this through students’ lack of enthusiasm to attend dances and spirit days, or no interest in actively participating in pep rallies or other student run organizations- it’s not all ASB’s fault. Other local schools have dances similar, if not worse than ours, however the majority of their student body excitedly anticipates them. Is it that Samo students simply don’t want a dance, or is it that we find more joy in making fun of them? The desire to appear apathetic is also reflected in school fashion, even starting a newly popularized style line: hesh. Everyone strives to look the most “homeless” or least kept. We want that “woke up like this” appearance that Forever 21 prints on all of their tees. More and more students are coming to school sporting sweatpants, sweatshirts or pajamas. Professionalism or mear input of energy is no longer a consideration in school attire. Our school atmosphere and unity as a student body has devolved into one of thoughtlessness and petty competition. We try to measure ourselves by relating our woes to our peers, being the winner if we sleep the least or can somehow get the most people to feel bad for us. So ask yourself, why is it cool to be the least organized, most stressed student? What we don’t realize is that the real winners are the students who are not only ambitious, but can get their full eight-plus hours of sleep.