Many things in life make me wonder. Things like evolution, how some people think the earth is flat, or why mothers get a day when sharks get a whole week. However, what seems to boggle my mind every day is why students at Aspen High School have gone soft. I have concluded that it is due to the lack of hazing at AHS.

Before addressing this issue, clarity needs to be provided. No one is saying bring back leaving guns in your car to “strike fear” yes, people did that. What most people refer to as hazing others like to call character building. It is very important that AHS continues to character build the next generation. First, erase the idea of frat and sorority pledge tasks that are in the back of your head. Students can be assured that no one is blindfolded and thrown into a car to be dropped off in the middle of nowhere to fumble home in the dark. However, the unspoken traditions at AHS are valued by the students that have gone to Aspen for generations.

There are a couple of “Unspoken rules” to live by at AHS. The first is the infamous yellow brick road. It is a small part of the High School building but plays a significant role in setting new students in their place. Without the road, there would be no separation between the freshman and upper-level students, providing no privilege for upperclassmen to enjoy. Many stories about first-year students from generations before crossing the road without permission or an escort go around. These stories have kept freshmen up at night contemplating even entering the commons for lunch, but again some are real, and some are simply rumors. That being said, the tradition of the yellow brick road creates something to look forward to as you grow and rise in grade. This is a tradition that needs to stay put.

Bottle drop, although I have never seen nor experienced this first hand, the bottle drop is one of ASH’s most beloved forms of hazing. I will provide a quick summary for those who do not know what the bottle drop entails. To properly execute this unwritten rule, you will need at least two people, one being an upperclassman and a lower, and the critical item, a glass bottle. When the upperclassmen are near, they will drop the bottle in front of the freshman and have them clean it up. Coming from a freshman’s point of view, I believe this tradition should be kept because it boosts character and lowers ego. Many students attended Aspen before the great wave of fragility flooded campus and brought 12th place participation awards and tryouts that no longer meant cuts.

One last rule that needs to stand is more evident than the rest and will only take another sentence or two to explain. Don’t tell your mom. If you come home with a cut or little black eye, slap a band-aid on and take an Advil. Please put on your big girl pants and keep the traditions where they belong, to the students’ hearts.

To solve the issue presented, traditions must be kept, and rules must be followed. If students can accomplish those two simple tasks and faculty can turn a blind eye, AHS will soon turn the corner and rise above the great wave of fragility. Pay your dues, earn your spot in history, and AHS will regain what it’s lost.