New Canaan-isms

Madeline Diamond
Reporter

Perpetually empty lockers.  Outrageous spirit day costumes.  A cafeteria affectionately dubbed “The Lounge.”  New Canaan High School is undeniably unique.  From an outsider’s perspective, as a senior new to the school, NCHS has countless idiosyncrasies, or “New Canaan-isms” that students might overlook.

1.     School spirit:  New Canaan’s school spirit is unquestionable.  Red and black go beyond team uniforms and serve as a staple in students’ everyday attire.  Bussey’s Bomb Squad takes the job of maintaining school spirit seriously, leading us all in the beloved rollercoaster cheer.  As someone who went to a school with an official spirit cheer of a pelvic thrust accompanied by an enthusiastic grunt, (Try to get the mental image of 4,000 kids doing this in a stadium out of your head) New Canaan’s slightly more wholesome spirit is refreshing.  Spirit days like Costume Day and Turn Back the Clock Day encourage students to sport school pride, regardless of the sport, club, or clique affiliation.

2.     The Locker Dilemma:  On my first day at NCHS, I asked some of my friends a simple, seemingly logical question.  “Ok, why doesn’t anyone here use their locker?”  I was answered with laughs.  I still wish I had an answer to this question.  My guess is that trying to make it to your art class in the Underground while having a locker on the third floor is simply impractical.  But isn’t carrying all your books around all day just as tedious?

3.  New Canaan Colloquialisms:  Only in New Canaan do we eat lunch in “The Lounge.”  We hang out in “The Pit.”  We walk through “The Underground.”  We park in “Bandland” or the “Jock Lot.”  The New Canaan vernacular might as well be its own language.  Foreigners, beware:  The language of NCHS students is constantly baffling and certainly distinctive.

NCHS is filled with “inside jokes,” just like one might have with a best friend.  Whether it be red and black pride, unspoken school rules, or its very own set of jargon, New Canaan’s community is more far more unique than the average high school.