The class of 2023 has had some hardships during their high school years. From ending their freshman year with COVID-19 , to starting their sophomore year with hybrid learning set against the backdrop of the pandemic. Even more, the class of 2023 haven’t been able to attend a pep rally since their freshman year, with other school activities being restricted due to the onset of coronavirus. This week has also followed the pattern of disruption for seniors, this time having to do with Homecoming Week. Instead of a five-day Spirit Week for Homecoming, McIntosh high school students have a four-day split up amid this week and PSAT day, which was this past Wednesday.

To be perfectly clear, this is the last year for Seniors to have a Spirit Week for high school at all, and it’s being overshadowed by both PSAT day and a three-day weekend when prior Seniors haven’t had this problem at all.

“It’s really upsetting, especially since it’s my senior year,” senior Jayla Holloway said. “And I was looking forward to certain spirit days, but they’ve been cut short because the week has been cut short.”

For many seniors, this is their last year to actually have a spirit week with their fellow underclassmen, one that isn’t being constrained by Covid for the first time in years. But for some, the change doesn’t seem to have affected them much.

“Oh, I enjoy an extra day [off],” senior Ryan Whittenour said. “Oh, we lost a [spirit] day? I guess I like it.”

Other seniors don’t care much about the change, pointing that spirit week does start a week early.

“I really don’t think it’s like losing a dress-up day. I don’t think it’s really going to mess anything up,” senior Natalie Lockwood said. “They made the extra day in on Friday and they’re still going to do the Homecoming dance so I don’t think it’s really like we lost anything.”

However, some seniors are concerned about the stress that the week will bring them, as senior activities, Homecoming, and general classwork are all happening on the same week. Additionally, with college applications and after-school activities rapidly piling up, some seniors are already feeling the pressure this semester.

“I think it’s very busy,” senior Kennice Taylor said. “So, I’m not looking forward to it considering we have days taken off from school and the PSAT day as well.

The available dress-up days were  Holi-Day, Pajama Day, Character Day and Spirit Day, in which students dress up in their class colors and seniors wear togas to show school spirit. However, this year will not include Decades Day, in which students dressed up from different decades, or Tacky Tuesday, in which students wore their tackiest clothing, which were featured last year. Since this year’s Spirit Week is a day shortened, one of these days was replaced by Pajama Day and the other has been dropped off the week.

“I do miss having decades day. It was always my favorite day and it’s upsetting that we didn’t get to have it for our last year here. It was definitely the day that I put the most effort into,” senior Anna Fairrel said.

Student Body Secretary Oluwadolapo Thomas explained the changes.

“There wasn’t a specific reason. We just wanted to switch it up from the usual, especially since we were losing a dress-up day due to the short week,” Thomas said.