Some people love something so much that it’s a borderline obsession, if not an actual obsession. The line between loving something and being fixated might be blurry, but a few students at Valley have shared their self-proclaimed obsessions. 

Sophomore Kailey Renehan is obsessed with gum, going through two to three packs a week. 

“Gum has so many good flavors, and it keeps me concentrated. I have a brain that likes to go 100 million miles an hour, so having something consistent helps me focus,” Renehan said. 

While gum seems like a normal addiction, Renehan takes it a step further. 

“People find it strange that I put my chewed gum on top of any drink top like my Starbucks or soda top, so I can chew gum after drinking my drink.” 

Renehan says that people don’t always have positive reactions, and that many are taken aback at first.

“People are like, ‘girl, why’, but now it has become a personality trait. People accept it,” Renehan explained. 

Despite people’s reactions, Renehan doesn’t plan to stop chewing gum as she finds the sweet taste satisfying. 

“Gum makes me a happier person, and it makes my life better. I can thrive as a person better,” said Renehan. 

Gum is a more common obsession, but a more rare one would be senior Tucker Bugaj’s obsession with the sousaphone. 

“The sousaphone is a marching tuba that wraps around you, and you play it like a tuba,” Bugaj explained. 

Starting four years ago, Bugaj started playing the sousaphone in the Valley Marching Band and at home. In band, his instrument plays the bassline while players stand in the back.

This rare instrument is similar to the tuba, which Bugaj also plays, and has brought him some good memories. 

“Freshman year I started playing the sousaphone on fiberglass because the brass one was too heavy for me to carry. About half-way through band camp I started playing the brass one, so I went out and everyone started cheering because it was a big accomplishment.”

This fondness for the sousaphone has led to a variety of sousaphone ‘merch’ and other oddities. 

“I also have a full sousaphone outfit that I wear. Well, it’s a mix of tuba and sousaphone. I have a hat, mask, shirt, pants, and socks,” shared Bugaj. 

The hat shows a picture of a sousaphone with the word ‘piccolo’ above it, and Bugaj has two different masks: a tuba one and a sousaphone one. While this obsession may seem unusual, his parents love it. 

Many were confused at first when he started playing, but there are other sousaphone players out there. There were four players in the Valley Marching Band last year, and three this year. Bugaj wants to continue playing after high school, but for right now, he enjoys playing at Valley.

“Whenever I’m at Valley, I go and play it in my free time,” Bugaj said.

Senior Skyler Fox has shared her obsession with Peanut M&Ms. 

“I’ve loved peanut M&Ms for a few years now. They have consistently been my go to candy for the movies, snack nights and even hanging out with friends. I really became on with them after my friend and I did a M&M taste test of multiple flavors. I realized that I really couldn’t resist the crunch that the peanut M&Ms offered,” Fox said.

Many people enjoy the crunch brought by Peanut M&Ms, but Fox struggles to resist them. The temptation can be hard to ignore.

“I eat them at random when I crave them, which can be anywhere from once a week to once every two weeks,” shared Fox. 

Sometimes this craving can turn into something more than a little snack.

“It sounds bad but I have bought the extra big bag of peanut M&Ms before, and I finished the whole bag in the span of two days. I regretted it for a little bit but looking back now I think it was kind of funny.” 

What some might not realize is that this love runs deeper than a regular obsession. Behind the surface are cherished memories. 

“I also think I really started to fall in love with them cause they remind me of my mom. Whenever she had a really busy week she’d go out to the store when we could afford it and pick my sister and I up a special treat. My treat of course was peanut M&Ms,” Fox said. 

Fond memories aren’t the only kind she’s experienced. Funny moments have also occurred at the hands of Peanut M&Ms. 

“One time I almost choked on a peanut M&M because my friend was making me laugh really hard when I was eating some. Not funny then but definitely funny now.” 

Peanut M&Ms have become a constant fixation for Fox no other snack has achieved. This candy reigns supreme in her memory.

“I do think there is probably a candy out there that could top M&Ms, but I don’t think there is another candy that could top the memories I have associated with Peanut M&Ms.”

Whether it’s playing the sousaphone or munching and crunching, students at Valley have found their heart in all sorts of obsessions. What’s yours?