At Minnetonka High School, there is always an event to look forward to. Allie Cannon, ‘26, says, “I go to football games, hockey games, basketball games, and I go to every dance.” At any one of these events, you are guaranteed to find packed seats and rooms full of Skippers cheering on their home team or hanging out with friends, and for Cannon, this packed atmosphere is one of the biggest appeals. “I like them because of the people who are there,” says Cannon. But after the bleachers, auditoriums, and crowds clear, where do all of these people go?
Many students at MHS have created unique traditions after these events to keep the momentum going, and one of the most common is going out to eat. Cannon says that some of her and her friends’ favorite spots after a game or dance are “Crisp & Green, or Chick-fil-A. If you go to Chick-fil-A after a football game, there will be people from school there, because that’s where people go. It’s packed full of Minnetonka kids after any game like hockey or basketball.” Cannon’s experiences are not uncommon; many students like to hang out after games because of the sense of community and the desire to bond with other students. Creating these traditions allows students to connect with each other, and gives them a chance to get to know each other better outside of a school setting.
Another big appeal of creating these student-centered traditions is how special connecting with the student body is. With busy and conflicting schedules, finding the perfect time to hang out with friends can often be a struggle, but these traditions guarantee a time people dedicate to their friends. Cannon explains that the traditions she and her friends participate in depend on the occasion. “If we went really far for a game, we got [Raising] Cane’s after… You really only go there if it’s by the place you’re going to.” Meanwhile, with home games or other events at Minnetonka High School, Cannon says, “I would go to Taco Bell. There’s one right by school, and it’s cheap.”
Many MHS traditions are impromptu gatherings at local hot spots, but others are more organized. Colin Beil is a librarian in The Port and Minnetonka Football’s Defensive Backs Coach. Occasionally, Beil’s parents host a popular get-together for many students, where parents and kids gather to grill and connect. Cannon describes the experience positively as another way to connect with her peers. The popular tradition entails a short walk from the high school after a football game, where people are greeted by a large spread of grilled food and the occasional band to celebrate. Elijah Fernandez, ‘26, says, “It’s led by parents and they cook the food, sometimes it’s only for players, but sometimes it’s for everyone.”
Jack Errington, ‘27, is an actor for the Minnetonka Theatre program and looks fondly on some of the traditions he’s a part of with the other cast and crew members. After opening night, Errington says, “we usually go to Perkin’s to celebrate because it’s open 24/7 and the food’s pretty good. We all wear nice outfits, and they see a bunch of theater kids come into Perkin’s at 10:30 with suits and dresses, and the staff there know us, so it’s just a nice tradition, nice to be with friends, and it’s cool.” Not only do the actors bond over the late-night and fashionable celebratory run to Perkin’s, but they have come up with other ways to connect after months of hard work and preparation for opening night. “After opening night, at least in the boy’s dressing room, we all come together and we play Hooked on a Feeling, we take all the chairs in the room and we slam them down [to the beat].”
The traditions after special occasions at MHS are just as unique and exciting as the events. Many of these traditions often are centered around a dinner table or in a restaurant. Still,all of these customs have one thing in common: the community and friendships created at these gatherings keep people coming back for more.
