By: Spencer Grams

  Recently, a problematic change has taken place at Marriotts Ridge, one that many students have noticed, but few will say out loud. The sense of seniority that once controlled our school’s social structure has gone away. What used to be a system of respect, where older students kept younger ones in check, has dissolved into an unorganized free-for-all, with many freshmen and sophomores embracing an entitlement mindset that makes daily life at school extremely challenging.

   High school has always been a place where students experience major personal growth. We arrive as freshmen, trying to figure out our new environment of bigger buildings, more independence, and older peers who seem to have everything figured out. It’s during this awkward in-between stage that many students learn the social etiquette of the school. Plenty of underclassmen walk around trying to project confidence, act superior, and pretend to lack intimidation. I say this from experience. I did the exact same thing as a freshman, and it didn’t take long for the upperclassmen to break down my arrogance. As much as I pretended to hate it at the time, I’m grateful for it now. It shaped me, grounded me, and forced me to understand my place in the school’s social structure. 

   That kind of grounding is exactly what’s disappearing. Underclassmen no longer feel the oversight of older students. Without that influence, behaviors that used to get corrected early in their high school careers now go unchecked, and the results are obvious to anyone who pays attention. There is a growing trend of students openly disrespecting teachers, talking back in ways that would have shocked previous classes, and hallway etiquette seems nonexistent. Clusters of slow walkers create traffic jams between classes, refusing to move even when crowds build behind them. And for reasons beyond explanation, PDA has reached an all-time high, turning corners and stairwells into areas most students would rather avoid.

   This isn’t about older students wanting power or pretending they’re better than anyone else. It’s about restoring standards that make school a better place for everyone. Seniority, when done right, isn’t bullying or hazing. It’s simply older students setting a tone and helping younger students understand expectations. Too many people now dismiss traditions as outdated, but some traditions exist because they work. They keep order. They build culture. They help students mature.

   Marriotts Ridge doesn’t need a complete cultural overhaul. It needs a return to the basic ideas that once shaped the school’s identity: respect for teachers, courtesy in shared spaces, and an understanding that high school is a progression. You earn your place. You learn as you go. And, ideally, you leave the school better than you found it.

   It’s time for upperclassmen to step back into their role, and it’s time for underclassmen to recognize that growing up requires modesty. Restoring seniority is the key to bringing back the sense of community we’ve lost.