It is spirit week yet few are dressed for the occasion.

A primary concern is themes. While some are interesting, the themes are not unique or broad enough to give people the freedom of choice. If somebody does not have a cowboy outfit, then they will wear a flannel shirt and perhaps a hat. Nobody stands out with the spirit week’s current topics.

If, for example, a theme created revolved around sparkling (like the shiny crab from Moana), it could lead to an interesting school environment. Glitter makeup would be brought from homes to paint on friends, there would be dazzling wardrobe choices, and it is broad — anyone can find something that shines in their house, but not the baggy clothes for hip-hop (or understand what the style is). And if they do, there is still a sense of normality in these clothing choices (after all, flannel is common).

My middle school had mismatch day. This can be taken to the extreme for those full of confident spirit, but for students less inclined to create a complete outfit, they can be minimalistic in their choice. Mismatching is easy: hairstyles, colors, socks, or patterns. It is also not a normal wardrobe situation, but can be done by anyone, which is exactly why it is so successful. If I walk into a grocery store after partaking in spirit week, I want to stand out, not blend it.

This week, there is nothing to be spirited about. If spirit week is done so often, it is less and less likely students will participate (after all, the rarer something is, the more others want to do it), which is why saving it for special occasions is necessary. No breaks or holidays follow Friday’s Bull Fest, or are what inspired it: it is like any other day at school, except some people dress in relatively usual wardrobe choices. (Even punk rock is not fun, in part because a lot do not have the accessories necessary, and those who do have worn them before. Black and red is also not new.)

Bull Fest is this week’s event, and as expected, people decide today to be the day to dress; in colors everyone can find in their homes. Not even Bull Fest can incite such an urge. It is much easier to gather a general outfit rather than a specific punk rock style. After all, some do not have a sense of other fashions, and they may not want to mess it up. Bull Fest itself is not a bad idea, but there must be more than the usual grade colors to bring everybody into spirit week.

Before a pep rally (which signifies time off of school), there is a higher involvement in spirit week; however, the joy is diluted by all the unnecessary times it took place. If it was a rarer occasion, then more would see it interesting to participate. And if it had themes unlike what students wear to school, yet are easily available, there would be an incentive to dress up — after all, what other excuse could there be to wear a dinosaur onesie as I did during my middle school’s spirit week?