For those who are experiencing it right now and for those who have experienced it before, in a weird way we are all connected by this amazing, beautiful, yet strange tradition. As a sophomore in college, I still enjoy thinking about those 6 weeks every year, and I’m not so unusual as I hear a 50-year-old woman talking about their Red and Blue days. It sounds pretty silly when you try to explain what it is to people not from Rockville Centre, and then you tell them how much it meant to you. But it’s more than just “color war.” It’s girls coming together from all different friend groups, and suddenly people you would never normally talk to become your closest friends.
From the first team meeting where the captains stand on a table, and you look up and feel the excitement that they do. Then to the first spirit day; you DECK out in your color. The halls are covered with red and blue, and although we are supporting our team, we are also supporting the amazing high school that we were lucky to have gone to that has kept this dated tradition going.
From the outside practices where you take an hour off from dancing to talk to each other, get to know girls that you have never spoken to; to the dinner right before you drive to Red and Blue Revue. The older girls love the younger girls, and the younger girls love the older girls.
From aerobics, to jazz a, to jazz b, to disco, to tap, to tumbling, every dance you’ve ever been on; you know the songs, you still probably know some of the moves. To watching the relays and leaning in so close, thinking that’ll somehow make your team win. Girls at South Side have been experiencing this for over 100 years. Some families have three generations of Red and Blue girls.
“The best 6 weeks of the year.”
It truly was.
For more than 100 YEARS this has been going on. Midterm studying begins and you know it is almost here.
All the seniors want to be freshmen again, not to re-do high school, lol, just to repeat Red and Blue. But the most beautiful thing about being a senior is you get to watch all the younger girls experience their first Red and Blue. You get to make sure, win or lose; they leave this with more memories and new friends.
Finding out what team you’re on, being able to decorate the wall, wearing your choker for the first time, trying on your costume, finding out your theme, getting ready for relays in the locker rooms right after you just KILLED your dance, being “quiet” in the back gym, holding the boards for hockey, everyone coming together to watch skit for the first time, being in awe of tumbling, running to your friends on the other team when the score comes out, getting in a circle to hold hands when they announce each suspenseful category, hanging out at prop, putting an RTV/BTV sign on your lawn and seeing them all around town, “Christmas morning” AKA literally the best day in all of high school where you skip class and get to watch yours and the other teams skit: heaven.
All the little things that you can so distinctly remember, stay with you forever.
To the girls in it right now, don’t waste time worrying about who wins, or what dance you’re on. You are going to love every single dance and try to memorize them all, you are going to be wanted and needed at every single practice. Cherish each 2 hour practice, every team meeting.
It’s only going to be 1, 2, 3, or 4 more years until you’re in college obsessing over Red and Blue from miles and miles away.
~Written with love and appreciation for 4 unforgettable years of Red and Blue~
