When the recently arrived class of 2014 sat on the steps behind Olin Library, discomfort was widespread. Many freshmen felt uncomfortable as a photographer from Panfoto directed them to sit still and smile for the traditional class photo, taken on an evening when temperatures exceeded 90ºF.

After the final shots were taken, the class was instructed to remain on the steps; collective anxiety awaited John Driscoll ’62, who would help teach the traditional Wesleyan Fight Song with the RAs. He and President Michael Roth, who later entered the scene to give his welcome, both acknowledged the heat before performing their respective duties.

I was one of those incoming freshmen, excited for the beginning of my four years at Wesleyan but also anxious – not just because of the oppressive heat wave, one of many that hit this region over the summer. This moment was part of a long arrival day, in which I felt the requisite pain that characterizes the transition to college life. One could say that the discomfort that came from the heat was a doppelganger for the unease of the arrival.

I knew that we were going to learn some traditional school song; the lesson would help assimilate the class into the Wesleyan community. And then the words hit me: “And then it’s fight for old Wesleyan/ Never give in…”

So that was it? A combative song to inaugurate our years at Wes? The anthem is definitely suitable for some Homecoming events, football games, or others that are supposed to boost spirit among crowds. It doesn’t fit an orientation scenario, much less one for a leading liberal arts institution.

I am aware of a large athletic presence on campus, and the need to preserve traditions – some of which date back to over a century ago – that unite the Wesleyan community around school pride. But is the Fight Song really the first school anthem that freshmen need to learn? The portion of “Battle Cry,” written by Clifford L. Waite, class of 1906, may be the most prominent ode to Wesleyan but, athletes notwithstanding, freshmen shouldn’t have to “fight for… Wesleyan” until they have been woven into the social fabric. They have their own personal demons to face.

Besides, the song adds another dimension to the school’s ever-present image dilemma. Wesleyan has struggled to define “the typical Wes student” for prospective families because there is none. This community is made of thousands of different individuals whose interests are so diverse that the only commonality is the fact that their personae are multifaceted. While championing personal and social diversity, as well as academic excellence, does Wesleyan need to evoke school spirit primarily through an aggressive, athletically oriented message?

Granted, it is a difficult balancing act for any school, especially a liberal arts school, to promote all of those facets simultaneously and without bias. But asking freshmen to sing a fight song before events such as the Common Moment – which truly exemplifies the multifaceted nature of Wesleyan – doesn’t accurately reflect the task of welcoming students to this institution.

This doesn’t mean that the Fight Song shouldn’t be included in Wesleyan life, let alone the orientation. With a catchy melody and lyrics, it serves its purpose in boosting morale across the Wesleyan community, as it has for well over a century. That particular song should be delayed for perhaps a couple of days, perhaps until after the Common Moment. The class may be more eager, although the transition isn’t completely over, to await the time when “victory crowns everyone.” A unit must come together before searching for victory, just like a sports team for whom the Fight Song is directed.

I wondered if there are other anthems for Wesleyan that go beyond the realm of the Fight Song, and I found them in the Wesleyan Songbook, a copy of which I bought at Waste Not. And The Wesleyan Spirits recently showcased several pieces from the songbook at a special a cappella concert on Sunday. They saved the Fight Song for last, as part of a medley of New England school anthems. Some of the preceding pieces were other vintage Wesleyan anthems that reference other facets of the experience, including academics, the campus, its traditions, and to the friendships formed there. For example, the school’s alma mater, “Come, Raise the Song,” (music by William B. Davis and lyrics by Frederic Lawrence Knowles, both from the class of 1894), contains the chorus: “O ivied walls, O storied halls, O shrine of long ago, / The altar fires our fathers lit shall still more brightly glow.” Instead of a competitive spirit, the songs evoke school pride by emphasizing the importance of the social and historical bonds that form a strong community.

Bear in mind that I do not propose doing away with the Fight Song completely – absolutely not. With a catchy melody and lyrics, it serves its purpose in boosting morale across the Wesleyan community, as it has for well over a century. This is merely a twofold matter of respecting traditions: making sure that they are used properly, and that others retain prominence.

Shatz is a member of the class of 2014.