For some students, ‘Merica Monday trumped Marvelous Monday as Homecoming Spirit Week kicked off, and currently students can choose to participate in Tropical or Twin Tuesday tomorrow.  At the beginning of the year, around 35-40 Student Council members voted on the spirit themes of Homecoming Week. Now, students want to change the themes.

The themes the Student Council decided on were:

Marvelous Monday (also known as “dress to impress”)
Twin Tuesday
Way Back Wednesday
Class Colors Thursday
School Spirit Friday

Some students thought these themes are just recycled from previous years and are not creative or fun enough. Some new themes that students have been coming up with include:

‘Merica Monday (though this has been controversial in schools around the country)
Tropical/Tourist Tuesday
Wacky/Western Wednesday
Frat Friday

On Twitter, several students expressed their desire to change the themes. Senior Maria Young said the new themes were originating from the senior class.

“We’ve done the same stuff every year and we wanted to come up with our own, be creative, and have a little fun,” Young said. “Even though everyone’s not participating in it, we just wanted to change it up and make some memories.” 

Unfortunately, some Student Council members were quite upset over students’ attempts to change the spirit themes after they were announced.

“I think it’s good that people have ideas, but I also think that this is the wrong time and place to bring those ideas forward,” senior student council member Nicholas Champion said. “Had people planned ahead and joined student council, they would’ve had a say. “They should’ve trusted their elected student leadership to make these kinds of choices, instead of being disrespectful and disregarding their decisions.”

Spirit themes must also be approved by the administration. In fact, according to Champion, some of the new ideas were brought up in the Student Council meeting, but weren’t approved or chosen. Along with Tropical/Tourist Tuesday, Wacky Wednesday and Marvel Monday were other spirit theme ideas discussed at the meeting.

The benefit of all the discussion over the spirit themes is certainly drawing a lot of attention, and Leander is sure to show lots of spirit over Homecoming Week. Thursday’s traditional Class Colors day also took a hit, since seniors are set to wear maroon (Rouse’s school color) instead of their usual fluorescent colors.

“A lot of students have complained to me about how the themes are not good and that Student Council didn’t do a good job picking them out and that is what irritated me,” Senior student council member Molly Aldred said. “I’m not offended that people are doing other themes because it is creating more spirit, which is the sole purpose of the themes.”

Whatever you choose to wear this week, it’s all in good fun. So find your twin, or your tackiest fanny pack, get a funny hat for Wednesday and buy a class color shirt or make your own. Put your mum on with your spirit shirt and get ready for Friday, because Homecoming is what it’s all about. For the seniors, it’s the last one.

The debate quickly sparked on social media on which theme to follow:

https://storify.com/CarolineC_dance/homecoming-spirit-week