Photo by Christy Deng
Squad poses become modern family pictures
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Family photographs have never given young people many options. Location, outfits, awkward hugging, stiff smiles—all decisions are dictated by parents trying to prove that you are all indeed a family and not just a group of random strangers living under the same roof. You do not get to pick the family photos, and you certainly do not get to pick the family.
But in high school you have a say in the classes you take, the sports you play, and, most memorably, the friends you make. Although graduation may seem to mark the end of these relationships, high school squads are crucial to these formative years. Your squad are your go-to people for inside jokes and AP test stress. These people will make fun of you (but only because they like you), and they will buy your Krispy Kreme donuts despite being extremely broke.
But with celebrity squads like Taylor Swift posting pictures of her countless famous friends and the easiness of creating a fake persona online, there is a pressure among young people to make it seem like they have a lot of friends. But according to senior Nathan Andrade, genuine squad is a solid friend group that functions, in its way, as a family.
“Your squad is like your family away from home,” Andrade said. “and poses are everything. It shows that you all decided to do something together and you’re all in unison.”
Searching #squadgoals on social media sites will result in the modern version of the family picture. And every squad picture is a representation of the relationship, built upon a common goal or trait. Every squad may have a signature pose or look, such as a peace sign or an intimidating facial expression. There is always something to signify unification.
While #squad may be dismissed as another simple fad of internet linguistics, we should still let take a moment to appreciate the celebration of camaraderie. So when the time of upgrading to college squad comes around, just remember that quality will always trump quantity
