High school rivalries: something common and hyped throughout schools, especially in football crazed states.

Our own high school is no different, and the Arlington-Martin rivalry is one that everyone looks forward to each year. A spirit week is dedicated to it, t-shirts are made for it, and sometimes fights break out between schools over how passionate everyone is about it.

It’s fun, but there’s a feeling of unease throughout the week if you aren’t pulled completely into the hype of beating your rival school. Especially for the freshmen who have no clue what the alma mater is and probably don’t know what to do during the chants against Martin either.

Passionate yells of wanting to fight the rival school and rumors of how past year’s games have turned out with half the student section fighting the other school’s student section can’t help but to bring a feeling of anxiety to some, along with adrenaline and excitement.

They’re fun to have, there’s no denying that. Yet with the violence that tends to happen from all the hype, should we truly be embracing it as much as we do?

For the most part, I’d say sure. As long as boundaries aren’t completely broken, the misconduct of others should be punished internally but not affect those who only enjoy the hype for what it is.

“Beat Martin” shirts and signs shouldn’t be a ticket to physically beating up a Martin alumni, but only add to the hype of wanting our sports team to beat them by the points scored.

Thankfully we aren’t known for being wild enough to fight the other team: a blessing for most, yet to some a disappointment that we aren’t seen as a “truly fun rival school”.

It’s best this way though, less issues in the long run and more space for safer rivalry traditions. A blessing for teachers and security as well who care about not having to see students be suspended over losing by three points.

Let the rivalry tradition continue, let the hype be embraced and the halls be decorated with anti-Martin propaganda. It’s fun and as long as it stays at a non-violent level it will stay fun for everyone throughout the school.

Watch Arlington take on Martin Friday at UTA.