Students are school-spirited, but just don’t have any time to attend school events

The A building wall, G-chat statuses and those infamous neck signs about school events slam us in the face on a daily basis. It is gratifying that our school is extremely proactive, but people should not take it personally if we don’t attend the events. It’s not that we don’t support our own school’s programs. We just don’t have enough time for them.

For example, students were bribed with extra credit to attend Drama department’s two plays of “Comedy of Errors” and “As You Like It” from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Nov. 13. On the same day at 11 a.m., the varsity football team and spirit squads will have their senior recognition game at Cupertino High School with the incentive of a pizza party awarded to the freshman literature class with the highest attendance. There is an assumption that students will not attend the event on their own time, so there is a need to have these bribes. As pleasing as the incentives may seem, many students will not have enough time to attend both activities on the same day.

If someone were to attend both events, their Saturday would be completely spent; especially from large loads of homework, sports practice, helping out at homeless shelters and the after school orchestra.

However, (almost) everyone would be spirited if they had time allotted for it. For example, the school rallies: the special Fridays where students spend hours stylizing their clothing with their class or school color. People will walk into their fourth period class with voices lost, ears ringing from deafening rally cheers, only because we’re that spirited.

In order to save their essay-writing time, many people will use the cliched excuses to get out of school events. “I have to ask my parents first” or the infamous “I didn’t bring any money” are code words for: “I don’t have any time. Please go away.” Listen for these words—it’s happening more often than you think.

Instead of rejecting the poor freshmen trying to advertise their first event, we can allot our own time to attend a few events, similar to allotting time for the rally.

How?

Well, get off your Facebook and get cracking on your homework. Instead of walling your friends, go out and actually see them.