Acropolis: Whittier's best kept secret? Alternative to nostalgic past

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Issue 9, Roani Whent, Opinion - By Roani Whent on Thursday, November 4, 2010 - 02:13

The Prom, Most likely to Succeed, Class Einstein, Perfect 10, Class Clown, Best Style, Class Klutz, Class Flirts, Best Body, Best Athlete, Best Eyes, Best Smile, Sparkling Personality, sound familiar?

If you responded yes, then there are high school memories bouncing around in your head. Our high school years are kept hidden in a memorabilia called the yearbook. Rich in history, it contains our most cherished memories: events, friends and embarrassing hair-dos; overall, it contains the highlights of the year.

However, in college, that book seems irrelevant since we are in a different phase in life. Can we possibly replace or eliminate the yearbook? The cost of the yearbook is expensive and other school functions or clubs may benefit from the funds. Considering the trend in colleges where the yearbook has stopped being published and the advent of Facebook and phone applications, the yearbook may be better off in cyberspace.

The yearbook seems to be a remnant of the past. Perhaps the yearbook culture we where part of in high school is long gone and did not last in college. Having a cyber yearbook or a magazine are possible alternatives to a yearbook. It will be inexpensive and would be accessible to the students since the student body fee pays for the yearbook. Besides it will offer the yearbook staff opportunities to channel creativity in new ways since it will be in a different format.

Senior Terees Dowd expressed how she did not know where to pick up a yearbook and also stated that in high school the yearbook was a big deal because it contained photos of the year but now in college she takes pictures every weekend. It may seem that the yearbook culture is gone in college.

Our high school class Einstein or Prom are historical figures and events recorded in our high school yearbooks that now play a small role. However, if the yearbook was to be more accessible and appealing to the student body then perhaps the yearbook culture will resurface.