Every year, the students at Highland High School take part in what is arguably the most important Highland tradition: Freak East. This once meant dressing up as something that might have been seen in Michael Jackson’s Thriller, but in the years past, it has devolved into more a random collection of costumes. Though the zombie look is always classic, Freak East has also become more of an opportunity to wear the most ridiculous thing possible, all in the name of freaking East. 

This year, the student section was full of people sporting white tee shirts splattered with fake blood, as well as many defaced East tee shirts, sweaters, and cheer uniforms, but there actually weren’t the usual amount of creative and ridiculous costumes as have been seen in years past.

But there were still plenty of highlights. 

Highland senior Max Erickson dressed as Batman in hopes to show East students that he was willing to protect the school from our rivals. 

“I’m dressed up as Batman to protect the school, you know, from crime, and I’m just trying to get justice and vengeance back to the world,” Erickson said. 

Sophomore Truman Cannon and senior Owen Dattilo took a different approach by simply dressing ridiculously. Cannon showed up in a banana suit, and Dattilo as “Romanized Jesus,” though it just appeared like he found a sheet and some leftover ivy from a Roman philosopher costumer. Cannon said that by dressing up, Highland students show East that we’re better than them. 

Junior George Smith took a more classic approach by dressing as a psychiatric patient who killed his doctor and escaped the hospital. He even had a whole backstory to go with his outfit. 

“I got shot a couple of times, stabbed, but I stabbed them back, and I’m insane!” Smith said. “I want blood and vengeance!” 

The theme of killing East students went even farther with the groups of senior girls who dressed in leopard-print outfits, saying that they were the dead version of our rival school’s mascot. 

“It’s to show that we’re not scared of East,” senior Lily Sampson said. 

“And to prove that we’re better than East forever and always,” senior Bela Bletzacker said. 

Overall, Freak East is an important tradition because it brings Highland students together. It promotes school spirit, and unites us, so for one night, everyone is the same. Everyone wants to watch Highland win against their rival school.

“This game is everything. We don’t like those guys over there. We gotta beat ‘em. Every day!” Erickson said.