With the year drawing to a close, seniors are experiencing something entirely new to this school: graduation. As the reality of leaving familiarity behind and embracing the unknown settles in, many seniors find themselves stressing over what it means to “make the most” of their year, wanting to savor the final moments of their high school lives.
Senior Aaron Xu (he/him) has a unique perspective on this dilemma, as he has participated in multiple sports on campus over the past four years. Xu, when answering a question about whether he would prioritize comfort over new experiences in high school, said, “I think for seniors it is very important to prioritize the things that [they] know feel comfortable doing … because it’s like ending a chapter of your life and doing something new.”
He explained that after four years, seniors have built an understanding of what they love doing, and should seek familiarity in these final weeks leading up to graduation, since they will soon be plunged into the unknown afterward.
Fellow senior Hibba Ayub Khan (she/her) had a different take on the question. Khan, who has been involved in leadership on campus for three years, said, “You want to take advantage of all the hangouts, and all of the events, because it’s all temporary … you’re not going to be able to go to the same school next year.”
Her view is that new experiences are somewhat necessary to making the most of senior year, since it is the last time events of that nature will be available to seniors before they graduate.
Both, however, agree on one point: the relationships and memories built during senior year are crucial to appreciating it later in life, and that feeling sentimental when looking back on those relationships is both normal and important.
Xu reflects fondly on his time with his football teammates, saying, “The bond that we built with our team sort of became like brothers … over time, it just made me want to stay for football.”
Additionally, Xu said that his fondest memory of senior year was senior night with his football team. He recalled, “I got to see the team’s faces light up … the second that bell rang, and we found out that we won.”
Above the competition and the nature of the sport itself, Xu emphasized the importance of his relationships with teammates as a major factor shaping his senior year, reminiscing on the memories he made with them during his final season.
Khan shared a similar outlook, saying, “Hang out with your high school friends before you guys part ways, since it’s your last year.”
She also stressed the importance of forming and maintaining relationships, citing friends as one of the most significant factors shaping overall enjoyment of the experiences and events she described earlier.
The year ending marks the start of the rest of the seniors’ lives, but it also marks the end of what they know and feel comfortable with. No matter how you decide to spend your time during these final weeks, make sure it’s something you’ll reflect on fondly so you can leave with no regrets.
