[XOMichelle]

I went to a hign school that had a long (read:50) year tradition of Freshman Orientation. Freshman were required to wear a beanie and a pin for three weeks (after the freshman-senior picnic till Homecoming). The senoirs, although not allowed to make us late for class, interfere with our studying, or do anyhting really mean to us, could ask us to carry books, write weird things on our beanies, or ask us to play games or do favors. The senoirs were required to wear a button with their name on it to identify them as seniors. Personally, I loved it. I had a big brother and a big sister. They took me out to lunch and talked to me during our orientation. I wanted people to ask me to bake things for them! We had a day where the seniors brought food and clothes, and we all got together and ate while they gave us costumes to wear for the rest of the day. Since our school had strict uniform, it was awesome to get to be the only people in the school who weren't wearing our normal drab outfits. Really, the whole thing was a popularity contest: the more the seniors paid attention to you, the cooler your peers thought you were.

Now, I know in the greek world this is 100% hazing: the senior members make the junior members do things they themselves are not doing. However, I thought the experience was fun and worthwhile. Freshman were allowed to not participate if they felt they were uncomfortable. Many of my friends didn't wear their beanies, and no one cared.

The school has since done away with the beanies, substituting T-shirts, and has made sure that the seniors can not and do not ask the freshman to do anything. This is much more PC, and really what the school should do, but this new method doesn't promote interaction like the traditional one. I was sad to see the tradition go, since it was so longstanding, and I had lots of fun doing it.

I know what you are thinking: How can she think this way? What a witch! But I really liked the attention on the other end, and the events were quite harmeless.
-Michelle