I Hope Some Things Never Change: Senior Debates from a Junior’s Perspective

I Hope Some Things Never Change: Senior Debates from a Junior’s Perspective

Karen Wang

The senior debates are a UHS tradition that never ceases to excite and amuse… at least when you’re a junior and all you have to do is sit back and languish in your power as a voter (yes, yes, please vote responsibly). For all I know, the seniors have been stressed and sleep deprived for weeks… but what do I know? I’m a junior after all, and life is pretty sweet right now. Just a few hours ago I was sitting in the propaganda-decked halls –ahem– auditorium, listening to the back and forth between party speakers just as I had for the years before. Nothing had really changed in the sense that the walls were plastered excessively with bits and pieces of the all-too-familiar propaganda that had invaded the lower levels since we got back from winter break. And enormous party symbols hung down from the ceiling like eerie misshapen floats like they always do. A look at the stage showed the party displays glittering and flashing and slightly fluttering haphazardly as tradition dictated. But much was different this year as well, from the original party names and themes to their major issues and stances. There were five parties this year and everyone probably knows them all already but in case you like mantras drilled into your head – After Party, Icon, Pardi Gras, Partyology, and UP. (Ha! I did that in alphabetical order – what now, bias?! That’s right, I got none! Ahem.)

Now many of my fellow juniors have commented (and complained – I myself will admit to that) that this year’s parties are all amazingly similar in their platforms and stances. Now, now, as good voters we should have read the policies thoroughly and then we might’ve discovered the plethora of distinguishing traits that each party has and that makes each party unique. Of course we didn’t. That’s why I looked at the Perspective’s handy dandy platform summary which conveniently charted out everything and gave me the warm fuzzies of being an informed voter while also giving me the oddly similar warm fuzzies of being a lazy UHS kid. Now that’s efficiency! So go check that thing out, you slacker voters, or the seniors will frown upon you. http://www.uhsperspective.org/2012/01/24/your-2012-party-platforms-explained/ Seniors are still scary, you know? All tall and stuff…

They also have scary skilled speakers (it’s Wednesday night, cut me some slack on the alliteration… how can Obama make milk jokes and still look cool?). Considering how many people they were speaking too and that they were being filmed for TV, all the debaters today were pretty well focused and proved to everyone that they can talk about politics for two and a half hours while keeping it professional, interesting, and entertaining. That’s coming from me, the person whose heart rate actually slows down when NPR is on. There were some heated moments, some dissing, and a few sarcastic snubs – but all in good fun and academic spirit – I’d say no one lost any good sportsmanship points. Those were the moments that really got the crowd going anyway, got the “Oooohh”, got the signs up, the glow sticks waving, the balloons popping. Oh yeah, it was a familiar scene, but the parties are always unique enough to generate new ideas – even if they were promptly shot down by some other party.

But all too soon the bell for 4^th period rang and the debate ended to enthusiastic applause. Hopefully tonight the seniors will sleep and tomorrow we juniors will cast our votes – however wisely – and determine the winner of the 2012 UHS senior party elections. Whoever wins, the UHS student body will be content, with the exhausted seniors – most of whom say they are glad it’s over, the expectant underclassmen whose lives were pleasantly interrupted today for three periods, and the anxious juniors who will take their place next year. Don’t forget the Inaugural Ball on February 3^rd, hope to see you there celebrating this latest chapter in one of UHS’ most prominent traditions.

Short URL: http://www.uhsperspective.org/?p=3913