As someone who is usually bothered at the thought of attending school each day for several hours, I always quiver in anticipation for Homecoming Week each year.

This week truly feels like an alternate reality and makes high school feel as glamorous as movies portray it as. Finally, I can wear something completely outlandish to school without getting side-eyed in the hallway by innocent passersby. When I saw the theme was Meme Monday for the very first day, I had to pull all the stops, and be the rarest meme in all the lands.

However, the turnout of Meme Monday didn’t turn out as anticipated. Looking around the halls mostly felt like every other drabby day of normal outfits, except now I experience an extra layer of embarrassment, as I am now dressed as Three Hole Punch Jim from the Halloween episode of The Office, dressed in my father’s shirt and tie with three black, paper circles taped to me. Everyone else in the hallways are heading to class in their regular sweatshirts and pants.

Other students felt this same sense of strange normality. 

“I could even see out of my outfit for meme day, and no one else really went all out like they usually do!” Megan Gardner, senior, said.

Gardner was dressed with a mannequin head stuffed in her hoodie. Around 2015, it became a trend in meme culture to partake in this activity, as it gives the effect that one has a comically long neck.

Even teachers noticed the shift in school spirit during the first day of Homecoming Week

Mr. Chris Williamson, social studies, even tweeted with a photograph of an eating yet defeated-looking Keanu Reeves saying, “Sad Keanu is disappointed in the lack of memes seen in the hallway.”

Usually, the most outrageous costumes and acts are seen casually strolling throughout school, yet there was something missing about this year. 

“I saw basically no one dressed up, last year’s seniors really went all out for these spirit days” Alanna Floyd, said.

Especially as someone who will never experience another Minooka Homecoming Week, I was disappointed by the lack of effort shown by the students this year. Hopefully, it was just a case of the Monday blues.