Campus Warlords … Sort Of

Philip is still in his first month at Hermes High School. He hosted a party to reconnect with friends as well as make new ones shortly before school began. One of the new friends he made at the party, Layla, asked him out and the two had their first romantic date on the first day of school. Because it was a half day, the Philip and Layla left campus together and enjoyed lunch at a nearby deli.

But on most school days, lunch is on campus. They get a fifteen minute break in the mid-morning and a thirty minute lunch break in the early afternoon. Students tend to congregate into small groups during the two breaks. And especially during lunch, each group tends to center around a particularly charismatic student: A campus warlord of sorts.

Philip and Layla agreed to divide their breaks evenly between each other and their other respective friends. When not with Layla, Philip tended to join up with a group led by his friend Tim, a sophomore. Layla in turn tended to join a group led by a guy named Ethan, the older brother of one of Layla’s best friends. Layla tried joining Philip at the table with Tim and his other friends, but it did not quite work for her. Likewise, Philip joined Layla at Ethan’s table. Ethan quickly earned Philip’s respect as did Ethan’s other friends. But in general, if he wasn’t alone with Layla, Philip preferred Tim’s crowd, or the occasional visit to sit with Ross and Ross’ other friends.

During one recent lunch Ethan convinced his crowd to carry one of the lunch tables to a shady area at the top of a hill on the edge of campus. Tim and his crowd were sitting at the table next to the one Ethan carried away. After seeing Ethan’s plan unfold, Tim hatched a plan of his own and quickly convinced his friends to join Ethan’s crowd at the top of the hill with one important difference. Tim wanted to ride on the table while the eight freshmen and sophomores carried the load up the small hill. As they approached with Tim lying in a bodysurfing position on the table, Ethan caught the scene and began clapping. Soon Ethan’s whole table was giving Tim and his crowd a standing ovation.

Philip and Tim’s other friends placed the table down next to Ethan’s table and the small crowd hurried down the hill to retrieve their lunches. The two small crowds enjoyed a private lunch together with an overlook view of the small campus below. Comfortably before the bell each group carried their respective table back down to its proper place among the other lunch tables.

It proved to be a happy memory for Philip and perhaps many of the others who enjoyed lunch in a non-traditional manner that day at Hermes High School. More importantly, it was a bonding experience. Somehow the campus warlords managed to bring their friends closer together in a special and memorable way that day. As long as that is how they leverage their leadership, their warlord status is well-deserved.