As I walk around the perimeter of the school, a crisp but pleasant chill in the air, my friend and I pass by the long, dizzying row of white school vans. I began to wonder why there is a need for such an excess, it seemed unnecessary.
Perhaps it is just a result of overanalysis; however, paired with the circulating beliefs I’ve heard, it reinforces my curiosity. Statements like downtown seem dangerous, and there is a shared sentiment about the Durham buses being thrown around like they hold no weight. Are the plethora of school vans there for the sole purpose of being the ones transporting the students? If so, that would only further these beliefs that the outside world of Durham, Raleigh, and Chapel Hill is dangerous.
I then began to wonder why the topics of the public buses as rough or unsafe were viewed as the truth. Was it the fact that locals make use of them too? That it’s not full of other peers from the same sheltered bubble that this school can turn into? Or is it the fact that the majority of people that you will find riding the bus are black? These are questions I cannot answer and probably don’t have a definite answer to; however, the subject of the school being a sheltered place is definitely one of interest.
The reality is that many of the residential students here rarely leave the school grounds, or if they do, it’s to the comfortable stretch of 9th Street. This could be the result of the burdensome workload, but it can cause a limited worldview and create a bubble around NCSSM. Although downtown may not be a walkable distance for some, the free buses are available and easy to use, and downtown has been nothing but hospitable in all the months I’ve been here.
Now, my experience has not been everyone’s, however, I’d still argue that both downtown and the buses are safe and something that should be taken advantage of more often before we have to start paying for bus passes.
At NCSSM, we brag about forcing our students to do community service, because we are an educational organization and not the justice system when someone commits a minor crime. From the moment we’re accepted, our objectives are made clear: stay on top of insanely hard classes, complete random courses about how to be a good person, and apply said courses to real life by doing 60 hours of community service- or don’t bother graduating. NCSSM’s policy is crafted with good intent; since the school is responsible for removing intellectual talent from local communities, why not force students to babysit kids at their local YMCA? However, a policy meant to help shape students into active members of their communities is not designed with all students in mind.
First, let’s walk through the numbers. Students are required to complete 60 hours of community service by Thanksgiving of their Senior year. Fair enough, right? This number seems reasonable until you consider the amount of time it takes to be a student at NCSSM. Including classes (~40 hours), one sport (~7.5 hours), one club (~3 hours), the on campus service requirement (3-4 hours), and taking care of eating and sleeping (77 hours), it takes around 130.5 hours a week to be a student at NCSSM.. That leaves a total of 37.5 hours a week to do other activities. Which, at face value, sounds like loads of time, assuming you don’t bathe, you’ll teleport to where you need to be, and that you have no friends or family that want to hang out with you. Essentially, it is nearly impossible to complete community service hours while at school, since one simply does not have the time.
Obviously, this issue can be easily solved; just complete the service requirement over breaks and summers! However, this simple solution is not accessible to many students as it makes one crucial assumption: that everyone’s home life is just like their school life. Being at NCSSM means a guaranteed roof over your head, three meals a day, support for mental and physical health issues, and a safe environment. This may not be the case for every student at home, and could prevent a student from completing the service requirement. The truth is that living away from home comes with its own set of financial obligations that every student’s family might not be able to cover without the student working over breaks. For many students, the service learning requirement simply isn’t a priority at home, and even if it is, what counts towards the service requirement?
In order to be logged for the requirement, the volunteer opportunity must be in North Carolina (excluding online programs based in NC), and the student must not accept any type of payment for the service. So here’s an issue: what does one do when there are no opportunities in their area? Let’s take my hometown, Princeville, as an example. Suppose you search “volunteer” on Google Maps in my hometown. In that case, three results pop up: A Habitat for Humanity, which apparently is located inside a building that is currently being renovated into apartments with no phone number or website, a volunteer firefighter station which only accepts volunteers who have graduated high school, and a community outreach center, which doesn’t exist anymore. But why rely on Google? I’m an active member of the community, so I should go out to find more options. Princeville has a library and a senior center, both of which are not accepting volunteers at this time, a retirement home that requires volunteers to be 18 or older, and various churches, in which I’m not sure if they would love my help, considering I’m transgender. To keep it simple: there is no opportunity in my hometown, and I’m sure other students from rural areas feel the same way.
NCSSM’s current remedy for this issue is to provide on-campus service opportunities during the school year (remember those 37 hours of free time?). They can be great means of gaining additional hours, but NCSSM has recently limited which on-campus services count. So, does NCSSM offer enough service learning hours on campus for students who cannot get them elsewhere? I would answer no, especially not accessible hours, as these events often conflict with clubs and sports. Besides, having to do all your hours on campus defeats the purpose of limiting on-campus opportunities in the first place.
The Service Learning Requirement fails all students by not being accessible to any student who does not have certain opportunities. While it tries to make up for it in various ways, it doesn’t change the fact that the policy was not intended to serve students but to serve NCSSM’s institutional ego. So while our current and future juniors stress out about meeting an arbitrary number, I wish our failed seniors a happy credit recovery.
The Promethean Players of the Drama Department recently put on this year’s musical, “Cabaret.” The show, which ran from March 14-16, transported audiences to 1930s Berlin, where the decadence of the Kit Kat Club masked the looming rise of the Nazi regime. Directed by Adam Sampieri, with assistance from Leslie Knight and student directors Marcellus Day and Robbie Stoffle, the production brought to life the tale of an American writer, Cliff Bradshaw, played by Aadi Kucheria, as he arrives in Berlin and becomes entangled in the lives of the city’s residents, including the performer from London, Sally Bowles, played by Faith Wagoner.
Unlike last fall’s lighthearted show, “Puffs,” “Cabaret” takes a much darker turn. Student director Robbie Stoffle emphasized the stark contrast. “It starts out fun but does not have a happy ending. As things outside get darker and darker, the things inside get happier and happier until it’s too late.” This mix of festivity and despair was a defining element of the production, mirroring the political and social turmoil of the period in which the show was set.
“Cabaret” follows the members of the Kit Kat Club, which, as Stoffle puts it, “has taken its own form throughout many different decades” and can be equated with 1930s Germany’s version of “Brat Summer,” through the carefree outward appearance of the club. The Emcee, played by Julian Burke, serves as the Master of Ceremonies, guiding the audience through the story with a mix of humor, charm, and unsettling detachment. But, more than just a host, the Emcee acts as a symbolic figure, reflecting and responding to the shifting political and social climate around him. He provides commentary on the unfolding events, highlighting the increasingly relevant rise of the Nazi Party and the characters’ varying levels of complicity or ignorance.
Stoffle noted, “There are many, many parallels between the events of “Cabaret” and what’s happening in politics today in the U.S. The timing has only gotten better and better—almost too well.” The show’s themes of political apathy, rising extremism, and societal complacency are frequently exemplified by the Emcee. “Cabaret” serves as both a historical reflection and a warning about the dangers of ignoring warning signs in a shifting political climate.
In addition to its historical and political themes, the production explored gender fluidity within the Kit Kat Club. Stoffle highlighted this aspect of the show, explaining how the club represented a space of freedom and self-expression, something that was eventually threatened and dismantled by the Nazis. “That same targeting of queer expression is happening in the U.S. today. We wanted to make that parallel clear.” The show’s portrayal of gender nonconformity and its suppression was a stark reminder of how history continues to echo in modern times.
At its core, “Cabaret” can act as a cautionary tale. “The reason we tell stories like “Cabaret.” even though they’re sad, is to remind us of what’s happened in history,” Stoffle said. “Because history repeats itself.”
Beyond the heavy themes, “Cabaret” also fostered many friendships among its cast and crew. “A lot of seniors at NCSSM get to know juniors through the musical, and people definitely make friends they otherwise wouldn’t have made,” Stoffle noted. Long rehearsals and shared challenges brought the team together, forming a close-knit community dedicated as they worked together to tell this story. One of the cast’s pre-show traditions was performing a dress rehearsal for an audience of stuffed animals, a small moment of calm and lightheartedness in an otherwise busy production. “We all took stuffed animals from our rooms and set them up in the audience to watch our final dress rehearsal,” Stoffle recalled.
The team behind “Cabaret” was extensive. Sampieri devoted countless hours to directing, ensuring that every aspect of the performance was polished and meaningful. Leslie Knight served as assistant director, providing additional support for the production. Mr. Rowe, the technical director, managed set construction and lighting, often staying late to help cut wood and hang lights. Miss Perez led the pit orchestra, an essential component of “Cabaret’s” immersive experience. The music was an important piece in this production, with numbers like “Willkommen” and “Cabaret” setting the tone for the performance. The pit’s role was particularly crucial given the show’s musical integration with the actors’ performances, ensuring seamless transitions between dialogue and song. An audience member noted that the performance left them “wanting to watch it again, to notice all of the subtle foreshadowing, and to listen to pieces like If You Could See Her, again.”
Bringing such a complex and emotionally charged show to the stage required immense dedication from the entire cast and crew. “Cabaret” was a unique story told through beautiful set design, complex characters played by uniquely talented NCSSM students, and musical accompaniment that brought the production together. With a dedicated cast, a committed production team, and a timeless story, “Cabaret” will be a memorable show for all who watched and were involved in its production.
As the academic year comes to a close, 322 seniors of NCSSM-Durham’s Class of 2025 have reported their college destinations. The seniors are set to attend a wide array of institutions, from Ivy League universities and top research institutions to liberal arts colleges and public universities across the country.
According to Program Assistant Pam Oxendine, NCSSM Counseling Services worked with seniors from May 1-5 to complete their final transcript requests. After May 1, seniors self-reported their decisions to the department, which has released data on the colleges the class of 2025 committed to for The Stentorian. As of May 14, 2024, college commitment data was available for 322 out of the total 342 graduating seniors (94 percent reporting), including early decision, early action, and regular decision commitments.
Unsurprisingly, the most popular destination is the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where 169 NCSSM-Durham students—more than half of those reporting, or roughly 52 percent of the senior body—will enroll this fall. NC State University follows with 68 students, continuing a long-standing pipeline between NCSSM and the state’s flagship STEM university.
Beyond North Carolina, students are spreading out across the nation. Four students will attend Yale University, another four will enroll at Columbia University, and four more are heading to Stanford University. Duke University, located just minutes from campus and a popular research partner for many NCSSM students, will welcome 13 undergraduates this fall.
The class also boasts acceptances to all eight Ivy League institutions, with students enrolling at Harvard, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Princeton, UPenn, and Yale. Other notable destinations include the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2 students), the University of Pennsylvania (5), Carnegie Mellon University (3), Georgia Tech (5), and the University of Chicago (2).
Smaller liberal arts colleges are well represented too. Students will attend Barnard, Davidson, Haverford, Swarthmore, Spelman, and Williams. One student is heading to the United States Air Force Academy, and another to McGill University in Canada.
Two students have chosen to take a gap year before continuing their academic journeys.
Altogether, the Class of 2025 reported plans to attend 47 different colleges and universities, showcasing the diversity of interests and ambitions that define the NCSSM experience.
Here is a full breakdown of college destinations for the class of 2025:
“Having practice is really fun but when you’re doing it for that much time and you know that when you go back to your room you’re just going to have to work on homework and do other stuff SSM students have to do, it starts to drag.” This is the reality for most of the openers and NCSSM’s very own Big Spoon’s members. As Hazel Cochran ‘26 states above, UniPalooza wasn’t all fun times, a lot of hard work was put into it.
UniPalooza, the name, a spin off of Lollapalooza, is, I’d argue, one of the most important cultural events of the school year. This year it was headlined by Big Spoon the Third and supported by … On the humid grounds of Blawn, dozens of students gathered to support this event on an unsuspecting Friday afternoon, more specifically, May 9th.
Students had generally good things to say. As the #1 Curls on campus, our very own Sadie Albright said, “I liked how everyone came together, however, Scotty Doesn’t Know was a choice…he definitely knew.” I can agree with this statement and so can various anonymous sources saying other points such as, “I wish Kahan had a solo, the technical difficulties were not that noticeable, and it wasn’t as hype as last year.”
The actual show wasn’t all I was interested in however, it was the musicians’ experiences that stood out to me the most. As it was touched on above, the stress and hardwork the band members put into this show were admirable to say the least. Big Spoon had to learn and memorize around 2 hours of songs to play though and began practicing early on. For three weeks before this event, Big Spoon practiced everyday for 2 hours, adding up to a total of 14 hours of practice a week. Perhaps a seemingly low amount but then added onto the initial stress and expectations of schoolwork, the workload becomes intense. However, when asked, there was no tension between the band members at all, a surprising fact based on the apparent strenuous practices
Big Spoon’s legacy is also an interesting one. When asked if they’ve figured out any of the members for the next generation of the band, rising seniors Jiya Zaveria and Hazel Cochran stated that, “it was still in the works,” despite them being sad to see their seniors go. Big spoon is a band that is flexible, an ongoing legacy rather than something concrete. The sound may be different next year, members will be different but it’ll still somehow be Big Spoon. Jiya and Hazel will continue the traditions that we know and love, Koffehouses and UniPaloza, but also hope to continue writing and performing their own songs while making a push to perform at more non-school venues (shoutout Local 506).
From Mayday Parade to Janelle Monáe, inspiration for the Big Spoon members came from a lot of places, something that’s evident in their song choices for Unipalooza. Members had the chance to pick two “save songs,” stated Hazel Cochran’26, songs that had to be included, even if the other members didn’t want to. However, the setlist wasn’t just made up of “save songs,” agreed upon covers and originals were sprinkled into the recipe as well. Seemingly, the band came together in a lot of ways, from their practice and writing sessions to the big performance, Big Spoon became a new band this year that the student population surely will be sad to see go.
There is no doubt that Ms. Stefan is the fashion expert of Fourth Bryan. From a tasteful fanny pack to a purple monochromatic fit, she is guaranteed to make a statement while staying comfortable. If you want to add some Stefan flair to your next outfit, adding some knee-length boots would also keep you warm and cozy!
Dr. McInnis, although a millennial, awes us all with their trendy fashion pieces and expert combinations. Whether it’s a pair of funky earrings or a flowy skirt, their wardrobe is no doubt the envy of their students.
Dr. Mallory’s beautiful dresses and perfect pairings suggest that she has a keen eye for fashion. Paired with a mid-length skirt, her sneakerhead style is both trendy and chic. When asked about her favorite outfit, Mallory said, “I really love these pants, which I bought when I was on spring break in Cartagena a few years ago. I’ve never seen anything else like them.” After choosing one of her favorite statement pieces, she loves matching it up with simpler pieces to show them off. This summer, bring out your colorful sundresses and bold statement pieces for a Mallory-inspired look!
Mr. Ji’s quirky t-shirts will brighten up a morning lab block. His graphing calculator t-shirt is sure to get you excited about math! To spruce up your wardrobe this year, try finding a signature statement piece like Mr. Ji’s many pairs of neon glasses.
Mr. Severance’s bold prints and pattern mixing are nothing short of iconic. When creating his outfits, Severance likes to experiment with matching patterns and colors. His favorite outfit features a floral shirt and matching purple pants: “I like the bold color of the pants as they aren’t your standard black, khaki, or blue.” Top it off with a man-bun and you’re sure to have a look that dazzles. Patterned shirts are all the rage this season as we try in vain to imitate Severance’s signature style!
Dr. Cantrell is an expert on preppy and timeless fashion. Dressed to the nines even for an evening class, Cantrell manages to look both professional and effortless as his students file into the classroom already wearing pajamas. When asked about his style, Cantrell provided a thoughtful statement about the story behind his clothing – he considers how the choices to wear a certain article of clothing influences our self-expression. He also addressed his style evolution in eloquently nostalgic prose:
“As you grow older, or so I have found, what you would be is strangely related to who you once were or wished to be, as you imagine that relation in sensations of memory. So these clothes—an old hunting jacket and boots, both from LL Bean, a wool tie from Orvis, a cap from Paul Stuart and, for inclement weather, a slouchy tweed hat from Brooks Brothers (before it was sold in bankruptcy to some soulless purveyor of ‘brand names’)—these, with wool sweaters which always somehow smell of wet leaves, old tweed jackets, and shabby corduroy trousers, create or conjure up a kind of wondering continuity between a younger self who, in memory was green and carefree, famous among the barns
About the happy yard and singing as the farm was home,
In the sun that is young once only
and the self of an older sun awakened to ‘the farm forever fled from the childless land.’ I have
worn some version of this ‘outfit,’ for fifty years or more, first walking in mellow autumn light
over the fields and along the mountain streams of our family farm in my early teens with poetry
in my head, and now wandering in another world, following that other, younger self into a time
‘out of grace.’”
The next time you wear your favorite outfit, consider what led you to these choices, and how you might look back upon your current life as inspiration for your future self.
As you meander or perhaps rush to your classes through the Reynolds breezeway, your gaze will linger on the rather demanding mural of all the graced students who have won the achievement of being crowned a “top 40 finalist” in the Regeneron competition. Soon, our very own senior Ava Cummings’ ‘25 name will be highlighted.
For all those who don’t know, the Regeneron competition is a nationwide science competition for seniors, placing a particular emphasis on research. It is known as a “prestigious” competition as defined by their parent company. As Dante Tringale ‘25 states, “It is the largest and oldest science talent search in the country, where they look for the next leaders of the generation of scientific exploration.” They begin with all the applicants then slowly whittle down to the “Top 300 Scholars,” where you receive a $2,000 (unfortunately taxed) scholarship and an internship offer, and “Top 40 Finalists” where you can present your work along with a $25,000 scholarship (taxed too, sigh) and a chance to compete for higher prizes. Both tempting benefits are when deciding whether you want to submit your work.
As someone unfamiliar with the inner workings of the competition and miles away from the science community committed to achieving some sort of title within Regeneron, I had the chance to learn about the competition from a fairly unbiased point of view. What I found particularly interesting was their inclusion of the story behind the research when considering the students’ applications. They take this into account when reading the additional essays that applicants were required to write when submitting their research. Tringale ‘25 brought this to my attention during our conversation about the application process saying, “It’s a completely separate application process (not through the school), similar to a scholarship application you write additional essays about what you researched, why, and what your future contributions to science will be, as well as turning in the 30-page research paper.”
Your journey, if you so choose, might start through one of the various research programs our school offers, such as RBio or RChem, among others, or through an Independent Study. Either one has its benefits or disadvantages depending on the person or topic.`
I learned after spending my afternoon with Aretha Datta ‘25, a “Top 300 scholar,” that the competition wasn’t exactly the end goal for many students in NCSSM’s research programs. Regeneron wasn’t on the front burners, despite my impressions after passing by the large mural in Reynolds breezeway every day, I simply chalked it up to be another example of the school favoring science rather than encouraging interdisciplinary work and the inclusion of the humanities, something ever-present in my school life. However, I learned that their research was much more than that after hearing how they wanted to continue it in college, hopefully ending up benefiting their community. I also noticed, as I passed by all of the research presentations on February 19th, that most of the researchers began their work after noticing a humanitarian issue and wanted to make a change. I’ve actually noticed that it was the student’s passion for their topic that far surpassed the sponsor’s support in some cases.
When applying to NCSSM’s research programs, students are met with encouragement that no matter their background and previous experience, they have the opportunity to pursue research.
As a part of the campus’s renovation plans, all of Reynolds moved into the modular units over the February extended weekend to little fanfare. Both Greynolds halls and half of 1d1c2c moved into modular one, and Reynolds 1e2e2d and the other half of 1d1c2c moved into modular two. While this move was warranted with the plethora of issues the building was facing, many Reynold’s students advocated for the move not to happen, due to it being so late in the year. Regardless, on March 2nd all were moved into the modular units, where Reynolds will likely stay until Spring 2026. Here are some of their thoughts about mod life and the move:
“I like the bigger room, but otherwise, Reynolds was much better. If I wanted to hike to class through the rain every day, I would’ve lived on Royall, and I went from a hall size of 10 people to a size of 45- a HUGE change for the middle of the school year. The walls are paper thin, and everything feels temporary- because it’s meant to be.” – Anonymous
“It was generally alright, just wish we had more of an opportunity to see rooms and that jazz prior to the move.” – Anonymous
“The facilities are nice, but we still haven’t gotten soap dispensers (we’re having an intense soap shortage and have learned the art of violently pressing the bare soap box skeletons with our palms and rubbing them together for a slim hope of making bubbles) and it’s too far away from classes. However, there’s a dual-edge sword to its far location; at the end of the day it feels satisfying after a long walk to finally settle down in your dorm room. It feels like a sense of coming home, though in a weird, temporary way. “ – Lily Galapon
The class of 2027 can also expect to live on the modular units, which might shift campus perception on them as they move in at the start of their NCSSM careers. In the meanwhile, all current Reynolds people are preparing to move out for the second time, with the seniors saying goodbye to campus forever.
We spend almost half our year on campus at NCSSM, so our RLAs and CCs work hard to make the cold halls (especially in recent days) feel more lively so that one day, we might consider NCSSM home. However, not all themes create as much joy or jealousy as others. In the following pages, I will give you my completely subjective and untrained opinion on this highly pressing matter. As was the case last year, I have removed my hall, Second Beall, to remain “neutral”…
4th Bryan: Cat Cafe
The theme board is top-tier, I can only imagine how cozy 4th Bryan must be. The RLAs also go above and beyond, adding extra cat themed decorations outside of the hall for valentines day. Thank you for making the treacherous journey to physics slightly less soul-crushing. =^._.^=
Ground Reynolds: Strawberry Shortcake
This theme gives off so much 2010s nostalgia, and makes for such cute decorations. Because Greynolds is tucked away it might not be one of the most frequently seen themes, but the beautiful theme boards in front of the halls make the cold space of Ground Reynolds so much warmer.
2nd East: Pokemon
I like it: relevant, infinite decoration potential, and nostalgia. The individual Pokemon cut out for the theme board shows dedication, though I feel like you are missing a few hundred Pokemon…
2nd Hill: 2HL Grand Prix
NCSSM already moves fast enough, living here would just stress me out. Unless we are talking Spec Miata. For a hall displaced in the mods this is a very solid theme, and even without a themeboard, they make up for it with creative door decks.
Royall: Royall’s Freezeria
I love seeing Papa Louie on my Hillgrimage journeys staring at me from Royall Lounge. A theme that is so original, that I am stunned.
3rd East: Super Smash Brothers
I have no notes. Just another video game-themed hall, the main difference is this one is respectable.
3rd West: Olive Garden
Nothing says mild disappointment like family dinners at Olive Garden. The only thing missing is the smell of breadsticks; a bribe of endless pasta wouldn’t hurt. As for the decorations, the door decks are lackluster, I mean, who wants to see a low-resolution picture of Olive Garden complimentary mints?
2nd Bryan: Hollywood cinema
I feel like a new variation of “movies” comes around every year and 2nd Bryan just happened to be the victim this year. That being said, they committed to the concept well enough to earn a respectable spot. Though at this point, the theme itself feels more like a reboot than a blockbuster premiere.
3rd Beall: Pillow Pets
3rd Beall does a great job of turning a seemingly simple hall theme with little possibilities for decorations into a soft patchwork blanket, pillow pets, and clouds.
4th East: Ancient Greece
This theme hurts no one, and exists as a good neutral, like the plain toast of hall themes. It’s not particularly exciting or in reference to something that connects our generation, but there is no reason to complain about it.
Reynolds 1c2c1d: Beach Vacation
In light of the recent weather, I am craving a sunny beach. Do you think Reynolds 1c2c1d stays warmer in the winter?
1st Hunt: Cars (The movie)
This is like 2nd Bryan, except “movie” is singular.
1st Beall: Tropical Rainforest
An ambitious choice, because the only thing tropical about NCSSM’s buildings is the unpredictable temperature control.
Reynolds 1e2e2d: Winx Club
This is a really good concept, but when I went to check out your decorations I thought that the hall theme was “Four Seasons.” Maybe I am just not a big Winx Club fan, but I feel a lack of connection between the theme and the decorations. Not mad, just sad.
1st Hill: Dune
Dune gives lots of opportunities for great decorations and is overall a very good concept. However, 1st mod currently lacks a LOT of decorations, which as a Hill resident pointed out is due to the fact that “[they] were supposed to move into Hill a month ago,” but due to the delays are still in the mods. This excuse will not keep 1st Hill off of the bottom of the leaderboard. Do better.
3rd Bryan: Bryan’s Arcade
This brings sticky floors, broken controllers, and a very sad man behind the prize counter to mind. While arcades have the potential for vibrant, nostalgic fun, this execution doesn’t give much. I pass by, unfazed, and maybe a bit sad at the thought of the sad old Bryan Arcade.
4th West: Supercell games If the company name Supercell does not ring a bell, think Clash of Clans, Hay Day, and Brawl Stars. Just like in Clash of Clans, success here depends on how much you’re willing to invest, except instead of gems, it’s sheer willpower to live with this theme. A Second Beall resident stated, “It is odd to pick a mobile game as a hall theme.” I would have to agree. (I heard the execution was good so 4th West has been saved from last)
2nd West: 2nd West sports, it’s in the game
Uninspired. The buildup of secrecy around this theme made it seem like something big was coming. What was the reason for keeping it under wraps? It’s hard to imagine anyone was going to swoop in and steal sports as a theme.
NCSSM Spikeball is not for the faint-hearted. It’s a high-stakes battle for pride, glory, and satisfaction of proving absolutely no one can beat your superior reflexes–at least until they do, and then you make excuses.
There’s an art to this madness, a rhythm that combines the agility of a jungle cat with the competitiveness of a caffeine-fueled teenager. At its core, spikeball is about spiking a ball onto a tiny trampoline with a ferocity that makes it difficult for the opposition to spike it back onto the net within three passes.
No earlier or later than 9:30 p.m., three spikeball nets are set up on Watts Lawn with dozens of people leaving the Happy Half scene to instead witness spikeball rivalries. For a school that takes pride in its STEM prowess, you wouldn’t think people would be so excited to run around chasing a tiny ball that’s basically trying to outsmart them at every turn. Yet here we are.
Of course, being a part of this spikeball culture means learning how to navigate the occasional failure with grace–or, at least, with a semi-acceptable excuse. If you miss the ball, it’s not because you’re bad at the game. It’s because “the wind caught it,” or “the net was uneven,” or “I wasn’t ready,” or the classic “my partner didn’t set me up right.” There’s a whole catalog of explanations ready to go at any moment, because no one ever truly misses a spikeball. It’s always the environment conspiring against you.
Still, for all the sarcasm and the competitive edge, spikeball at NCSSM is the best kind of chaos. There’s something oddly satisfying about diving for a ball that’s already out of reach, or that rare moment when your team pulls off a combo so perfect that the other team can only stand there in awe (or confusion—either works). You bond over the shared frustration of a close game and the memories that come from all the laughter and bruises. Because let’s be real: if you’re playing spikeball and you’re not leaving with at least one new bruise, did you even play?
At the end of the day, spikeball at NCSSM is more than just a game. It’s an unspoken tradition, a rite of passage, and a chance to momentarily forget about that upcoming test or lab report. Plus, it’s just plain fun, even when you lose. And if you do lose, there’s always the next game.
