First day of school from a freshman’s perspective

by Olivia Edwards

I spent my last day of summer the way I started it… with my friends. As the summer was closing down and the back-to-school season was starting, nerves were high, and supply stores were busy. My friends and I were reflecting on our middle school years and predicting what was soon to come in high school.

About 12 hours later, I woke up with a mix of nerves and excitement. The first thing I did was call my best friend and talked our way through the day. Once I was done with that, I finished getting ready and got out the door to go. Everyone on the bus was getting reacquainted with one another and getting back into actually talking to people in person again.

When we arrived at school I began to feel a literal pit in my stomach. Going to first period was overwhelming. Thankfully, my nerves were calmed immediately by the warm and welcoming atmosphere. The rest of the day was still kind of tense, but all in all my first day of high school went way better than expected!

Homecoming 2021

by Zoey Chandler

I really struggle when I think about the fact that COVID has stolen so much from us. We’ve missed event after event, and so many haven’t come back yet. Going into homecoming, I had to adjust my attitude and just hope that COVID wouldn’t take this from us too. After the hardest and craziest year ever, I could tell that Frontier was ready for an epic week.

The week began with the juniors taking home the hallway decorating prize. As a junior and someone who worked on the hallway decorations, this was the icing on the cake of my Monday. Everybody showed up with spirit, and I would have to say my favorite day was Hawaiian Day - and my favorite day to see was Western Day. I walked into the chorus room, and the guys were cutting off their sleeves to make flannel tank tops! Days like this definitely made the week more fun than usual!

Thursday came and each day leading up to the weekend had more and more electric energy. The homecoming bonfire was new for freshmen and sophomores, (because of COVID) and even for the juniors! (It was rained out when we were freshmen.) From the variety of milkshakes to the sizzling burgers and warm mac and cheese, we were all left in a good mood. A bonfire of plywood pallets had been stacked high all week. The flames rose high and our faces grew warm as we felt gameday excitement building.

Before we knew it, gameday was here! Friday felt unreal, with class periods cut shorter to make room for the pep rally. Everyone was in blue, and as the day went on, the clock seemed to tick slower as we waited to be released to the field. When we heard that announcement, we frantically began texting our friends to make sure to get prime seats alongside our peers. The ground crunched beneath us as we walked the tightrope between gravel and the early afternoon dew. As we found our seats and the crowd began to roar, we had only a taste of the joy we would feel that evening and the next.

We left the pep rally, and school that day, with warm rosy cheeks, courtesy of the crisp September air. It was only a couple of hours later when we would return in our best Whiteout Whites. The game began at 7pm, but you could tell we had been ready since 7 that morning! A passionate student section roared. You could’ve sat, but you wanted to stand and cheer alongside them. The sights were varied and brilliant; from cheerleaders flipping every which way, to students running the length of the bleachers waving Frontier flags! School spirit had its effects, because we won the game!

Just when we had showered off the facepaint, boasting of our victory, the Homecoming Dance came around the corner. All week there had been rumors of cancelling; it had looked like rain, but we were somehow still hopeful. As we zipped up our dresses and began to painstakingly curl each piece of hair, we received the awaited email telling us that homecoming was postponed… just an hour. After that hour came and went, students poured onto the field as fast as they could. Balloons, lights, and school colors adorned every corner. Song after song, we danced to warm up from the chill, and sang our voices dry. 11pm came too soon! After jumping to Miley and kicking to the Cupid Shuffle, we dragged ourselves off the turf begrudgingly. It felt like that night was the first time we had slept during the week.

I think some things won’t ever quite go back to the way they were before COVID. We wash our hands more, we worry more about travel, and we still use parts of virtual learning. Some things, though, will always be as sweet as they were pre-COVID. The way you lock eyes with a friend during “Party In The USA,” the way you giggle when teachers go all-out for spirit days, the way the entire student section roars as one when that final point is scored. These things become even sweeter. COVID may not be over, and we may still wear masks, but we also persist. We still love, and we still have joy in our hearts in moments like these.

by Nicholas McBride

Rows of hundreds of students flooded the track, and footsteps grew louder as people clumped into the bleachers. Everyone settled for a spot separated by grade level with upperclassmen on the left, and freshmen and sophomores the right. The first order of business was to stand for the national anthem, sung by one of our own seniors. Then the cheer and varsity football teams went through their motivational calls and routines. Meanwhile, the track was lined up with students and staff alike feeding off the energy around them to build excitement. Some of this excitement included competitions such as a tug of war between 11th and 12th graders; which, unsurprisingly, the seniors came out of this with a speedy victory. There was the toilet paper wrap, where the objective is to toss as much of it as possible around a teacher to mummify them. Of course we can’t forget about the pie eating contest that went down near the end of the assembly. This year, our five participants were wolfing down that whipped cream like their lives depended on it.

The day of the pep rally served as a perfect ending to the weekday part of our homecoming season. The gloomy morning-like but somewhat sunny atmosphere of the entire day was an interesting feeling, and the strange scent from the before school cookouts plus the hot dogs made for the seniors made for an interesting atmosphere to be in, one that brings out a sense of school pride in everyone. When we all went as one huge blue shirted blob, pushing and squeezing in for space for the bleachers, the school spirit felt revived. Because of Covid and all the limits it brought us, it felt very unifying to have an event that everyone could not only participate in, but truly enjoy.

by Ethan Zydel

Homecoming 2021. Trying to describe it in one word is just impossible. From the bonfire to the football game, spirit week and the dance, it was all so fun! The return of homecoming was such a joy for all students, and I especially enjoyed the time I spent hanging out at the events.

As always, the hallways were decked out with all sorts of cool decorations and everyone dressed up for spirit week. It is always super fun to walk through the halls with all the cool decorations during the week, and this year I really did enjoy the look of the halls.The bonfire was a really cool night just to hang out with your friends and simply be yourself. I had a lot of fun doing just that, and to make it better, the seniors won the powderpuff game!!

Football is a big part of my life, especially outside of school with the Bills doing so well this year. It was a great night to watch our Frontier Falcons win the homecoming game, and those cheering from the crowd made it a great time. As I was hanging out with some of my friends at the dance Saturday night, we were having a blast simply hanging out and dancing to the music. The highlight of the night was the huge circle when just one or two people were dancing in the middle of everyone. The night was very memorable! Overall, the entire week was a success, it and really got me super pumped for what is yet to come my senior year.

by Caitlin O'Keefe

If you were not aware of homecoming week at Frontier, let me walk you through what happened. Let's start with the spirit days. It was so much fun walking through the halls and seeing how many people participated in spirit week. You could feel the buzz of people chattering and laughing as they saw their friends’ outfits for Tropical Tuesday or Western Wednesday. It definitely made the week go so much faster; everyone I saw thoroughly enjoyed it.

On Thursday the powderpuff game was held at 6 o'clock and the bonfire was held at 7. If you didn't make Thursday's events, let me set the scene for you. As the car pulls into the parking lot you can see the school swamped with tons of people walking around. You might feel intimidated at first, but keep going and soon you’ll feel comfortable with the atmosphere. The air smelled of smoke and the excitement was high. The food trucks there were a huge hit, and people especially enjoyed the Taffy’s and Main Street Ice Cream trucks.

Friday night was the homecoming football game. When walking into the football game it also seemed intimidating at first, but you get used to it after a while. The game was so much fun and invigorating. Frontier played Will East that night, and we looked good on offense, but even better on defense. The energy was so amazing, and the plays throughout the night were very impressive. The cheerleaders also did an amazing job of keeping morale high and keeping the night fun. It felt great not only to see so many people there, but to win too.

Homecoming Dance

by Emma Gordon

I’ll be the first to admit my skepticism of this year’s homecoming dance. A night out on the football field sounded nothing like the dreamy, perfect night that I had during my freshman year. With rain and cold temperatures in the forecast, I had little desire to even attend the dance, but seeing as I had already spent a hefty amount of money in preparation for the night, I felt obligated to go for at least a little while.

It was a bit of a shock walking onto the field. It was certainly not what I pictured when someone mentions a school dance, but the closer I got to the DJ’s booth, the more it resembled the homecoming that I knew and loved. Students were packed like sardines against the booth, resembling a mosh pit as they jumped and danced to beloved classics like “Wannabe” and “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.” It was my observation that the further I got into the crowd and the more my friends and I danced, the warmer and happier I felt. While it certainly didn’t look like a traditional homecoming, it seemed to be a very popular night amongst the student body. Many of the classmates that I’ve spoken to preferred the football field over the gym because of the extra space that it provided. Having the dance outside also meant that those in attendance didn’t have to wear masks. However, having such an important event outdoors also comes with its cons. Perhaps the most obvious issue is the weather, which proved to be a problem when the dance was postponed due to rain in the forecast. The temperature was also a bit too low for most people’s liking — especially for those like me who chose to wear a sleeveless dress. There was also the issue of not being able to wear heels on the field, but students were able to have fun in finding creative footwear.

The general consensus that I’ve gotten from my classmates is that they want the dance to be outside every year (weather permitting), but there are a few who argue that the gym is the better option, with the cold weather being a major factor in that decision. Students want the freedom to wear whatever they please, and they were noticeably more limited on the field. The cold discouraged students from wearing sleeveless dresses and the turf prevented them from wearing heels. Some students also like having the cafeteria open to them during the dance so they can sit and eat if they feel inclined to do so, which is another reason to stick with the gym. But, like the football field, there are cons to the gym as well. It can get very crowded inside and consequently, very warm. It is also more difficult to take pictures in the dark gym than it was on the brightly lit football field. So, while there is some debate over which venue is best for our dance, most students won’t hesitate to tell you that Homecoming 2021 was a success - myself included. I realize now that it doesn’t really matter where the dance is held, if you’re determined to have a good night, you can do so wherever you are.

The Meatball

by Angelo Gerace

Meatballs are an essential element to every meal. They provide all necessary nutrients, vitamins and minerals to maintain peak physical performance. Their peak aerodynamic design is truly a marvel to behold. Throughout history, the meatball has influenced billions of individuals all over the world. It is often renowned as the universally GOATED food. They are served all across the United States and are included in the highest order. But how would a meatball feel about this? Today, we take a closer look at the most underrated food that the world has ever seen.

As I hear the oven door open, I feel the heat being interrupted by a rush of chilling air. I briefly feel my sheet begin to cool, before I am abruptly snatched up by a pair of metallic claws. As I am promptly dunked in the sacred red sauce, the flavor is intensified by a magnitude not yet experienced. But suddenly, my utopia of saucy goodness is spilled into a bowl of angel hair pasta, and a large spoon mixes me and my comrades into our dish of steamy goodness. As our souls bonded with the gorgeous Barilla spaghetti, we met our final resting place. The serving bowl is a pristine white, brighter than any tiles seen in the kitchen of holy goodness. As the teeth of the fork draw nearer, and I am sprinkled in parmesan cheese, I prepare myself for the great beyond.

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