Stain Everything You Wear

By Jamie Renner

If school spirit were a narcotic, we would be the cleanest
educational institution around.  If school spirit were a
narcotic, we would have all maintained fantastic willpower
to diverge from its addiction.  When school spirit was
offered to us, we boldly turned it down and smiled like we
had just stood our ground under a colossal peer pressure. 
When the chance to explode with spirit was offered, many of
us opted not to and simply tightened our conservative
neckties.  Let it go.  Explode.

Let the physical and emotional high of school spirit
inoculate your bones.  Let your soul be filled will cheer
and let the Oyster River charge through your veins.  Unleash
it.  Don't just show up at games, show up at games bearing
face-paint and signs.  Don't just watch your class in a
tug-of-war, get out of your chair and yank the other class
to the ground.  Don't just attend school events and
assemblies, bring your friends and attend with spirit.  Be
brave.  Be yourself.

If school spirit were a fruit, we would be malnourished.  If
school spirit were a fruit, we would have never tasted an
orange or a peach.  When the fruit was offered to us, we
just politely smiled and lifted our hand in denial.  When
the chance to sink our teeth into a mass of flavor was given
to us, we looked at our clean white shirts and said "no, the
fabric might get stained."  Stain it.  Stain everything you
wear.

Let the orange juice run out of your mouth, off your chin,
and all over your clothes.  Splatter the pear on the school
walls and smash the oranges on the floors.  Let yourself
taste the fruit and let your insides swim in its vitamins. 
Squeeze the orange all over your hands and wet your friends'
faces with its cool, awakening juice.  Run your orange hands
through your hair and laugh.  Swallow the cool flavor and
let your body be replenished.  Feel the spirit.  Taste the
spirit.

Whether school spirit is like a narcotic or a fruit, find
the addiction and replenish your soul.  Experience the high,
taste the flavor.  Be brave.  Be yourself.  Explode.

Jamie Renner is the Features Editor of MOR

Contact Mouth of the River at MOR@hawking.unh.edu.

Last update on 31-Mar-99 at 10:35 PM.

http://www.orol.org/schools/orhs/mor/nov96/op_ed/spirit.html

This page is edited by David K. Taylor. Please send questions or comments to editor@orol.org.