Yes, I am excited:
Camilla Qaqundah
One of my favorite times of the year is here: high school football season. It is a time filled with dressing up in themes, getting together with your friends, socializing with other schools and being able to cheer as loud as you can in the bleachers for your favorite team. This is one of the best high school traditions, and I am so excited it has finally arrived.
Many say that attending is a waste of time and always ends up being boring, and I would assume this conclusion comes with its reputation of having large crowds, loud cheers and so-called “boring” gameplay. But, personally, I think football games are the opposite of this.
The tickets are always priced reasonably, usually around $10-20, and it is a great way to bond with students from other nearby high schools.
In addition, they typically offer a great selection of snacks, like burgers, candy, nachos, popcorn, drinks, and sometimes even BBQ. Also, different food stands offer a variety of options as well, including boba drinks, shaved ice machines and taco trucks – All of which I love.
“I love going to football games because it’s a great way to socialize, and it’s a competitive atmosphere,” said junior Reagan Raff. “I also love going because of the snacks and options they have for drinks!”
At Serra HS football games specifically, the NDB JV and Varsity cheer teams always do a remarkable job with their halftime performances, keeping the audience entertained, while teams are in their locker rooms gearing up for the second half of the game. They also keep parents and students in the stands engaged and hyped up for the players during the game.
The Serra HS football team is also particularly enjoyable to attend because many NDB students can socialize with those from Mercy B, their sister school. The team has been especially dominant over the past few years, but with many players graduating in the Class of 2024, students are also excited for what is to come this season.
I look forward to this football season to capture memories of planning cute outfits to match themes, rooting for the cheerleading team and enjoying tasty snacks. The perfect opportunity to enjoy a lively atmosphere with friends. I am already thinking about how much fun my friends and I will have.
No, I am not excited:
Lily Henry
If someone was asked to consider their interpretation of the classic high school experience, the concept of “Friday Night Lights” (FNL) would very likely come to mind. I am referring specifically to the distinct image of bundling up with your friends in the bleachers, sharing some overly greasy, yet delicious nachos and cheering together after a touchdown is scored. Yes, this image theoretically seems very appealing. However, my experience at most high school football games do not exactly resemble this description.
I am now in my fourth high school football season and am not particularly stoked about this period of time. Which sounds strange even to my own ears, considering so many students view FNL as a redeeming aspect of high school.
However, I consider myself a representation of the more introverted student body who do not find football particularly interesting to watch. So, you can understand why my friends might as well have to drag me to a game. Well, that and the bonuses of teenage crowds, uncomfortable small talk and a level of noise that I could probably do without.
Yet funnily enough, every year I do find myself in attendance at a game, but usually end up bored with the football, anxious about talking to so many other high schoolers and also overstimulated by the light, noise and magnitude of clustered high schoolers.
“I think that, sometimes, it is super crowded and really hard to even get in the bleachers … and there’s just so many things going on,” said senior Andie Wong, expressing a similar distaste for football games. “I do think the high school football games I have been to … [were] a little overrated.”
Just like in previous years, I do not doubt that I will show up to at least one game this football season. Especially as I approach college, I feel pressured to fulfill my interpretation of the classic high school experience before leaving NDB. But, who knows? With the excitement of my senior year, maybe I will experience the optimal picture of “Friday Night Lights.”
However, as of now, I am perfectly content with an activity that does not feature high school football players as the main highlight, while other members of the NDB student body attend games.
