1. Mr. Fernandes

There is no joy quite like seeing Mr. Fernandes standing outside the classroom you are headed to. Seeing him makes the fact that you didn’t do your homework completely okay because you can always count on him to never give the work the teacher left for you all. Instead, you get to catch up on current events and admire his colorful ties for 40 minutes.

2. The day you got your license meant no more long, hot walks to Crosier

One of my first thoughts when I passed my driving test was that I’d no longer have to walk all the way to Crosier carrying my backpack, field hockey stick, and books when it’s 90 degrees anymore. The last day you walk to Crosier is the best day of a Holyoke High School students life.

3. “Yatahey, bombini, gutenmorgen, and good morning Holyoke High School.”

By your senior year, you have heard this hundreds upon hundreds of times. Every morning, you hear Mr. Todd say these words over the intercom. After the first dozens of times, you start not even realizing it anymore, as you’re probably too busy doing homework in homeroom, anyways.

4. Everyone has a horrible ID photo

Everyone gets their ID photo taken freshman year. ID’s main purpose is so that everyone in the building knows who you are. If this is the purpose, then why don’t we ever get the chance to retake our horrible photos?! You probably don’t look the same as you did freshman year, or let’s hope at least, but you still have to wear a photo of an awkward, brace-faced, acne ridden child around your neck at all times.

5. You’ve frantically taken the concussion test at midnight the day before tryouts

We all know the rule: No concussion test, no practice. Every student athlete from Holyoke High has taken the concussion test at an absurd hour the night before tryouts at least once. It’s a lot of clicking, a lot of shapes, and a lot of colors, but it’s worth it.

6. Mrs. Hebert’s poem tests caused you serious stress your freshman year

Almost everyone had Mrs. Hebert when they were in 9^th grade. Looking back at it now, her weekly poem tests were really not that bad compared to what you have to do by your senior year. However, at the time, they were so stressful. I always envied the kids who were brave enough to recite it in front of the class, I always stuck to writing it down on her yellow paper.

7. You’ve accidentally gone up the down stairs

The dreaded up/down stairs. They were another thing that caused your freshman self some serious anxiety. We’ve all been there; you know you’re going up the wrong stairs but you think it’ll be okay if you go quickly enough. WRONG. You get trampled and learn your lesson, just walk to the other side of the hall and take the right stairs next time.

8. Guild

Guild is one of the most exciting events for a newcomer at Holyoke High. It’s your first high school dance. The tradition is that the girls ask the guys, and this usually brings lots of drama and stress to a 14-year-old girl’s life, but it always ends up working out. You always try to take it easy on Thanksgiving so that your dress (which is probably horribly ugly and you eventually realize that senior year) will zip all the way.

9. The pep rally was your worst nightmare freshman year

You’ve heard rumors about all the “terrible” things that happen to freshmen at the pep rally, but you haven’t actually experienced yet. You’ve heard that you’ll get batteries and rice thrown at you. This is an ancient myth, and while you do get your fair share of chanting and friendly harassment from the upperclassmen, it truly isn’t that bad.

10. The time 2:52 has been permanently etched into your mind

I will always associate 2:52 with my time here at Holyoke High. I spent so much time looking back at the clock and counting down the minutes until that last bell rang. Word of advice: don’t count down to 2:52 every day, I promise your last 2:52 will be here soon enough.