The first nine weeks here at East has come to an end. This means that report cards have been handed out and some tears shed. More importantly, the school year is a quarter of the way over with and everyone is one step closer to the end of the year.

This nine weeks has been packed with fun activities as well as plenty of crazy moments–most notable being the first day of school with frantic freshmen and impatient upperclassmen.

With the new cell phone policy change, the first day of school this year was a different experience for everyone, not just the freshmen.

“I felt uncomfortable leaving my phone in a slot every single class,” senior Tori Bennett said.

Aside from the big adjustment to less phone accessibility, the rest of the high school experience stayed pretty much the same and this year’s freshmen got to experience it.

“It was a nerve-racking experience being at a new school,” freshman Iris Huffman said.

Part of the high school experience are traditional homecoming festivities, including the homecoming dance. This year, festivities included a spirit week capped with an October 3 pep rally, parade, and powder puff football game (which the senior team won). Later that day, the Spartan football team won their game against Shady. A controversial homecoming dance took place the next day.

“Homecoming was fun, but I didn’t like the DJ,” senior Rowan Woody said.