Students share thoughts about pep rallies

After a long day of writing notes, conducting a lab, and taking a test that took everyone three hours to study for, it is time to be sent down to the varsity gym for the next pep rally. The routine is familiar to everyone, which involves the cheerleaders, band, and the support of our Aurora athletes.

The pep rallies’ purpose is to bring our school together and endorse our Aurora Greenmen, but it does not appear this way for everyone. It is evident that in order to increase the likability of pep rallies, we must receive student feedback.

According to a survey taken by 91 Aurora High School students, barely more than half (53.9%) of them genuinely enjoy pep rallies. This totals to only 45 of the 91 people who took the survey. Alongside, a good portion of people who are in favor of the pep rallies like them solely because it decreases class time.

One student shares that pep rallies are “a nice time to not have to think about school 24/7.”

“I like getting out of class early to hear the band play, joke with friends and see the school spirit that Aurora has,” states another student.

Many of those who dislike the pep rallies demand they should be optional and not mandatory, while others demand they should be longer to fit in more games and activities.

Another big complaint is about the poor quality of music the cheerleaders have to dance to.

One student advises to “get better music for the cheerleaders, some of their routines are cool but the music quality is terrible, there has to be a better way for them to have their song played.”

Favoritism also plays as a factor as to why certain people have distaste for pep rallies.

“We should not just be praising the popular athletes. All students deserve a chance in the spotlight,” expresses a student.

Overall, the biggest complaint from students is that they are tired of the same pep rally routines.

“Make them more interactive and on interesting topics, meaning not the same assemblies that we have had for the past three years,” says one student.

“They are always the same basic routines, maybe there could be more games or little competitions or something. Maybe throw T shirts or something,” claims another student.

The survey received a large amount of feedback from students, but I found it evident to conduct a survey specifically for those involved in the pep rallies, which includes the cheerleaders, flag, highlights, and band.

In a second survey following the prior one, only 11 out of the 21 people involved in the pep rally who responded to the survey genuinely enjoy the pep rallies. The majority of those involved who took the survey are in band, and there is a clear divide between those who like and dislike pep rallies. It appears that certain band people who have a distaste for pep rallies have a distaste for performing in general, so it is not 100% the fault of the pep rallies. Many others feel left out and unappreciated by the school.

“I am in the band. I do not like pep rallies. We serve no purpose. People only care about the varsity sports yet most people don’t even like those. Most people hate pep rallies,” says a band member confidently in his response.

“I'm in the band and it is hard to pack up and leave on time when everyone is let out at 2:20 , get in the way of the band room and don't allow you to pack up your instrument on time. We don't get the time we need to get to the buses and may not be able to get the amount of practice for that day in. As the pep rallies are usually on a Friday we need all the time we have to practice before the game,” claims another student.

On the contrary, another band member states, “I like sitting with my section/ I’m already with friends instead of searching for them in the section of bleachers for my grade.”

A mixed review states, “I'm a flag, and I have mixed feeling about pep rallies. On one hand I like flags, and I like how everyone is gathered to watch and hear the band, but i also don't like pep rallies because there's a lot of stress involved in making sure you don't mess up with everyone in school watching. It's a double-bladed knife.”

Although nearly half of people dislike the pep rallies, the most common rating for the last pep rally was an 8 out of 10. Many people who gave the pep rally a higher score tend to favor the games. In line with the favorable ratings, 70% of the 91 students enjoy pep rally games in general.

While they serve as a reason to get out of class and be loud, it is evident that many students are not in favor of pep rallies. According to a large portion of the previous feedback, pep rallies are stale due to its lack of change in the routine.

Before extreme changes can be made, the music quality needs to be fixed so students are not just hearing static. More room needs to be created for the audience, which crams students in like a can of tunas. Worst case scenario, the pep rallies need to take place in a bigger location, which could mean performing on the football field.

Pep rallies need a regular change of routines, which may require the pep rallies to be longer, which would cut more time out of class. A bigger variety of games would offer more opportunities for likability.