After the events of last year, which left the entire class hanging on the edge of their seats, many were left wondering how the Class of 2017 could top such success. The goal was simple: To not only achieve victory this year but to dominate the senior class's final Spirit Week. Coordination was the key; almost a third of the class wore the exact same classic black shirt, blue jean outfit, noticeably showing off the dedication of the senior class. On Decades Day, the senior class staged a live performance of the song “Come on Eileen” as well as the ever-popular “Don’t Stop Believing” classic hit by Journey.
Of course, all of this was simply a lead-up to arguably the greatest day of the school year: Class Colors Day. The seniors planned this day out to the smallest detail. Leading up to Color Wars, the Facebook class page was abuzz every night, planning the execution of an ocean theme in the senior hallway. To say that this was a success would be an understatement: As one walked into a sea of blue, with jellyfish hanging from the rafters and blue Christmas lights hanging the walls, there was an authentic nautical experience, which perfectly fit the nautical theme ingrained into the Sturgis culture.
Other than Tug o' War, the Color War mini-events had never been the strength of the Class of 2017. Yet behind the leadership of the spirited Sam Smith, Seamus Devine, Molly Nemes, and Vinny Collucci, the seniors were relentless. They swept the Ships and Sailors event with ease, as the last five remaining contestants were all seniors. This set the tone for the highly-anticipated Tug o' War event, which the Class of 2017 had never lost. The domination continue. Led by the superhuman Sam Smith, the seniors won all Tug o' War contests in an average of 9 seconds each. Allison Palmer was amazed, noting how “each round would fit in a Snapchat story (10 seconds)!”
In a couple of months, Spirit Week will not matter very much. Seniors will soon be pulling their hair over midterms, college applications, and term grades all at once; and Spirit Week will seem totally insignificant. Even more stressful, in several months, seniors will be saying goodbye to many friends and teachers whom they have seen every day for four years.
Yet for one week, for that one spectacular week of camaraderie and unity, Spirit Week was the most important thing in the world. Perhaps that is what keeps the Sturgis students sane and keeps them going. Perhaps, every once in a while, nothing is healthier than enjoying and making a big deal over something that does not actually matter.