October ended and it is now November, which means it is time for our school’s renowned and uproarious spirit week. Foreign exchange students from Finland and Norway, juniors Belen Weckstrom and Elin Nilsen, share optimism for the culturally unfamiliar experience.

When asked what she imagined spirit week was like, Belen said, “Cheerleaders, glitter, and high school musical.”

Although many are looking forward to the week, others are not so optimistic due to the new changes implemented. Typically, spirit week lasts for five consecutive days, but this year, spirit week starts on Wednesday, November 19th, and ends the following Tuesday.

Color wars and the pep rally, which are a battle between grades where everyone decks out in their grade’s color, has always been on Thursday. Historically, Lancer Nation day follows on Friday, when the school is united with Lancer Nation shirts. After this, comes the homecoming football game and finally the homecoming dance. However, not only is spirit week split into over the weekend this year, but color wars is on Thursday and the competition is on Lancer Nation day, the last day of spirit week.

Students complain that the configuration  is complicated. Some protest that continuing spirit week through the weekend defeats the purpose and point out that the whole purpose is building up spirit for the homecoming game.

“What’s the point of continuing it the week after on  a Monday and Tuesday? There’s nothing to look forward to anymore, and it works better on a full week,” says junior, Brooke Garvin.

Furthermore, when asked his opinion on the change, senior Clay McKittrick said, “I’ve waited three years to go all out as a senior during the pep rally, and now they change it. It’s been the same for years; and personally, I think the students like the tradition.”

Student council is behind planning events like spirit week, and senior member Hannah Schoenenberg shared her rebuttal for the widespread criticism: “ Our decision to make the pep rally on Lancer Nation day was simply because we wanted it to be then. The pep rally is an opportunity to get excited about the upcoming football game and acknowledge all of the accomplishments of the fall athletic teams, so we wanted the pep rally to be the day before the game as well as wanted this day to be Lancer Nation Day.”

Despite new changes and potential flaws, spirit week is still a pinnacle event filled with opportunities for unity and creativity. According to junior Lydia Courtot, “My friends and I are being the Deadly Viper Squad and we’ve been planning it for about a year.”

At the end of the week, it is a positive attitude that will determine this year’s success, and senior Griffin Archambault summed it up best:“ I think spirit week will be very different this year, but as a senior, it’s going to be fun no matter what the situation is. [The change] shouldn’t impact spirit week too much, no matter the order of the days everyone should try to consistently participate in spirit week.”

Spirit Week’s schedule is the following:

Wednesday (11/19/14) Dynamic Duo / Great Groups

Thursday (11/20/14) Color Wars

Friday (11/21/14) Holiday Day

Monday (11/24/14) Pajama Day