Remember when you were a little kid and your mom would bring you out to the grocery store and you would jump around the store trying to stay only on the colored tiles? Well, LHS students revisited their childhood and renewed a tradition on Oct. 21, calling it “Lava Day.”
Lava Day was tradition at LHS before any of us roamed its halls. For the last couple years though, Lava Day has become a forgotten holiday for students.
The concept of Lava Day is simple. When the first bell rings Lava Day starts. Throughout the day when maneuvering the halls one can only step on the colored tiles because the white ones are “lava.” If you step on the lava, you have to sit down until someone tags you.
The abundance of white tiles and lack of colored ones make it difficult, but that is what makes it fun. The worst part has to be while dodging the lava and enjoying yourself, you get those looks and comments from the cynics not participating.
Once while I was carefully avoiding the lava between classes a girl not participating got cut off by a student hopping to and fro on colored tiles. Instead of letting it go in the spirit of the game she says, “I really wish I could punch some people.”
What I do not get is why students are against Lava Day; it is a student-created day by tradition and by announcement. Knowledge of Lava Day spread by Facebook and by an in-school student announcement. Lava Day gives students a breath of fresh air between classes and is a lot of fun. So what if we are acting like kids? We are still in high school, why not enjoy it?
Lava day is also a fun way to promote school spirit. Instead of Battle of the Classes where each grade is pinned against each other, Lava Day is a fun way for everyone to laugh together as they awkwardly maneuver the halls.
Besides creating a great environment between students, Lava Day creates a fun environment between teachers and students. While passing through the D-hallway you could see Mrs. Olmo trying to force Lava Day participants into the lava by dubbing herself the “Lava Monster,” and by taking up the colored tiles.
Some teachers decided to take the rules of Lava Day into their own hands by putting colored pieces of paper on the white tiles of their class. Some, even though they did not particpate, just enjoyed the fun and silliness of the day by chuckling at passing students. Even Mrs. Nemeth participated, and rumor has it that when she stepped on the lava she sat on the ground.
Lava Day was a great way for students and teachers to act silly and have fun and the tradition was brought back to life.
