Seniority is Dead

Senior year is a coveted experience for all high school students. It seems the anticipation for this cherished time begins from the moment a student attends his or her first class at OHS. It is supposed to be a reward for three hard years of work: work that involves academics and work that involves appeasing the seniors.

Freshmen and sophomores have always been timid of upperclassmen. Most people remember their freshman year as a time to observe what the older kids did, and not participate. However, it seems there has been a significant change. Freshmen are walking the halls loud and proud, treating everyone as though THEY are the ones in charge.

“When I first got here everybody was really big in comparison to the middle school, so I tried to stay out of those scary senior boys’ way. Now it seems like the freshman are ready to prove how big they are. They have gotten much more assertive recently,” says junior Catherine Clark.

It seems this trend extends beyond the hallways. Freshmen in sports have always been expected to pacify the upperclassmen. This is includes picking up after practice, being respectful to seniors, and sacrificing seats on the bus.

Senior Taryn Lewis says, “When I started soccer my freshman year I was terrified of all of the seniors on the team! Every time they told me to pick up the equipment, I sprinted to the cones and flags and did whatever they told me to do. As the years have passed, the seniors have been getting less and less respect and now there is absolutely no respect for seniors anymore and I find it sad. Just because we aren’t as mean and demanding as the past seniors does not mean we don’t deserve respect from the underclassmen. I think it is ridiculous when you tell the underclassmen to do something and they just laugh in your face.”

Years ago, seniority played a vital role in the culture of Owensboro High School. 12^th graders were respected by the underclassmen simply because it was the way things were done. Students understood their place in the ladder of importance and paid their dues all while knowing they would eventually receive the benefits when they became the upperclassmen.

“Underclassmen need to realize seniors have worked their butts off to get where they are and they aren’t going to let underclassmen boss them around or act like they are better than them.” Senior Austin Clark says.

However, the culture of earning respect has changed at OHS. Students of all grades walk the halls like they own the place as soon as they step foot in Owensboro High. It seems as though everyone has forgotten the significance of respect for seniors. Most importantly, it appears students have also forgotten that disrespecting upperclassmen as freshman will start a trend that continues into the underclassmen’s’ senior year.

In order for balance to be restored to OHS respect must be returned to seniors. If everyone wants the respect of “seniority” they must learn to earn it!