A few months ago, I wrote an article titled "17 Signs You Grew Up in East Cobb, GA". Several critiques of this silly listicle pointed out to me that my article was not broad enough to include all East Cobb residents, but rather just those in a certain school district. With that in mind, I figured: why not get even more specific?
Lassiter High School, located in northeast Cobb County, GA, is a public high school that educates grades 9 through 12. Since 1981, the Lassiter Trojans have been fighting their way into the personal histories of thousands of Georgia students. If you went to Lassiter, chances are most, if not all, of you will relate to at least one thing on this list.
1. High school football season is LIFE.
Whether it's the games themselves, the pep rallies, or just the general buzz in the air throughout Friday afternoon, autumn at Lassiter gets everyone hype. It's always a struggle to fit into the gym for the pep rallies, and you thank your lucky stars if you get a seat on the bleachers with a good view. The games themselves, even if you don't actually go to them, are the cause for many snaps, tweets, and Instagram posts. Powder throws are Lassiter's #aesthetic.
2. Homecoming is (almost) better than Christmas morning.
Every single year, I meticulously planned my outfits for the theme days. Personally, I loved whenever we had character day. It was my opportunity to dress as a Broadway character no one else had ever heard of. Homecoming week is just the absolute best. Every year, people grumble about the themes. People dress up accordingly, despite their previous hesitations. In addition, most Lassiter students have participated in the homecoming parade, some as a spectator and many as part of the parade itself. As a junior volleyball player, a swimmer, and a drama geek, I was in the parade five years in a row. Many others have participated for much longer!
3. Most people vacation in the same places.
I'm curious to see what a Lassiter student's Snap maps will look like come spring break. I guarantee that a vast majority of their classmates will flock to the gulf and spend the welcome break at either Seaside or Destin.
4. You've made fun of the mascot.
Even if you're the proudest Trojan to ever walk the halls, you've probably made at least one quip at the expense of Lassiter's mascot. Whether it was a perverted giggle because of the condom brand or pointing out that the Trojans lost the Trojan war, you had at least one moment when you poked fun at Lassiter for choosing the "Faceless Trojan" as our mascot.
5. Someone you know has been busted for sneaking off campus for lunch.
As Lassiter students aren't allowed to leave the campus during the day without a note from the front office, naturally there are a lot of troublemakers who leave anyway. I can't begin to count how many kids were busted for trying to walk to Smoothie King or coming back into the school holding a Subway sandwich.
6. SUPA SOUSA SWAG SWAG!
Need I say more?
7. Senior traditions are worth the wait.
On the first day of school, all seniors wear black. Girls will often spend all summer picking out the perfect black ensemble to wear while they strut through the halls on that first day. Guys usually just throw on a black shirt and call it a day. Likewise, it's tradition that seniors usually win the dance-off, no matter how great the underclassmen are. Senior week is a welcome reprise of homecoming, but with an added layer of exclusivity. The whole school can tell when the senior class is truly done, because they throw all their papers in the air of the skylight!
8. You were probably told that Lassiter has a pool.
Whether or not you believed the mischevious upperclassman who told you is an entirely different thing. Personally, I believed it with everything in my excited fourteen-year-old heart, only to be devastated when a sympathetic graduate told me it was a prank. Some heard it was on the roof, while some heard it was in the basement of the science building. I hate to break it to any rising freshman: the nearest pool is at the aquatic center on Gordy. Sorry!
9. Academics are taken very seriously.
Lassiter is one of the best public high schools in the country, and I will fight anyone who says otherwise. Just look at the course load of the classes and the work ethic of its students! My sister, who is a sophomore this year, pulled several all-nighters in the first week of school. My brother, who is considered a "slacker" by Lassiter standards, spends hours stressing over assignments before he turns them in. Personally, I didn't care at all and often did my work the day it was due. It should be noted that it is a great shock to everyone I know that I even graduated.
10. There are certain teachers who people have very passionate opinions about.
Certain teachers' names are whispered with reverence in the hallways, while others are cursed. The most notable teachers at Lassiter tend to have very passionate alumni of their classes. For example, I would probably die for Ms. Lyons and Dr. Brown. On the other hand, there are many teachers whose classes I would like to be carved out of my memories forever. Just sayin'.
11. The band is on a whole different level.
There's always jokes about the band being a cult due to how much time is dedicated to their music. WIth that being said, I know I'm not alone when I say that my respect and admiration for those in marching band is through the roof. Enduring 12-hour practices outside? Wearing those heavy costumes during hot autumn nights? I couldn't do it. Props to you.
12. The dress code is confusing.
You could show up to class in a bikini, and there are many teachers who wouldn't bat an eye. On the other hand, you have teachers who give out Saturday detentions and harsh words to students whose shorts are half an inch above the required length. Then there are the teachers who care about one aspect of the dress code, but not about anything else. There's a teacher who's passionate about hats not being worn, there's a teacher who can't stand shoulders showing, and there's a teacher who vehemently opposes crop tops. These teachers tend to not care about anything else on the dress code, however. My advice? Do some reconnaissance on which teachers have which preferences before you dress yourself for class.
(Note: The outfit above, despite having too short of a skirt, too skinny of straps, and exposing quite a bit of shoulder, was not a problem to anyone.)
13. There are too many people in the school.
No matter what your freshman bucket list says, you will not know everyone in Lassiter. With several thousand students, it's unlikely you'll know everyone in your grade. Also, good luck cutting through the skylight to get to class. It's like Times Square on New Years.
14. Very few students use their lockers.
Personally, I made an effort to at least try to use my locker every year. I often forgot it existed completely. This was because it wasn't near any of my classes, it was too hard to get to, or I just didn't have that many books to carry.
15. You're thankful for your time there.
Whether you had a lot of friends or none, good grades or bad, a wonderful experience or a terrible experience, you can't help but be at least a little thankful for Lassiter. Even if high school was the worst four years of your life, you had the privilege to get educated at a well-rated institution in a safe area with an active campus life. Students who attended Lassiter often found that college was easy compared to their high school classes. Even as a self-identified slacker, I started college with enough credits to qualify as a sophomore. Love it or hate it, you were lucky to attend Lassiter.
Maroon, gold, and a little bit of white. / Come on, mighty Trojans, let's fight fight fight!
