Fear the squirrel

When you cross campus, you don’t see eagles soaring overhead. You see squirrels running around rummaging for food in trash cans or climbing trees. They’re practically our unofficial mascot already. Why not make it official?

Sure, eagles represent strength, courage, and freedom. But they’re distant—hardly relatable. Case in point, students in a boarding school are surely not the epitome of freedom. We live by schedules and curfews, mostly due to fear of punishment, such as Guard and CRCs. Squirrels, on the other hand, are scrappy, clever, and energetic. They’re always learning and adapting—just like us. We aren’t lurking ominously like a storm cloud or perched on a mountaintop, overlooking the world. Rather, we’re in the middle of it, hustling to classes and PGAs, surviving finals, and figuring it out together. Squirrels are a living part of our daily experience, and choosing a mascot that embodies us—a mascot that we live alongside—would make our school spirit feel more authentic. 

So many other schools have eagles as their mascots. In fact, according to Massey Ratings and USA Today High School Sports, the eagle is the most common school mascot. That’s like saying you’re favorite song is whatever’s trending on TikTok—#basic. How many schools can brag about having a squirrel mascot? It would set us apart. We’d be memorable, different, special—and let's face it—way more fun.

And don’t be fooled by their fluffy tails and adorable stares. Squirrels are fierce (though looking cute doesn’t hurt). Squirrels don’t just survive, they thrive—just look at the squirrel population on campus. They weather storms and adapt to seasons; we’ve all seen squirrels in their awkward shedding phase, looking a little rough, but still doing their squirrel things. In snow, rain, or blazing heat, the squirrels are always out there darting around campus like warriors. They find creative ways to meet challenges; for instance, stealing food from a trash can. I dare anyone to take on an army of a hundred fierce Mercersburg squirrels and not be quaking in their boots. 

In a rapidly changing world, we need a mascot that represents resilience, creativity, and grit. We need a mascot that represents students who are resourceful and creative in finding ways to succeed when things get tough. We don’t need a storm that cuts out the power and destroys the trees on campus. We don’t need a mascot that soars above problems, but one that hustles through them. 

We need squirrels.