One might say senior year truly begins only after students submit their final college application. While they feel the weight of the future lifted off of their shoulders, they decide to soak in the present moment before it’s over.
As the constant stress subsides, the hangouts with friends, the lingering behind after classes and the laughter and the lightheartedness multiply as seniors hold onto what mattered to them most throughout their high school experience.
Often, it’s the friendships with one’s peers, the mentorship from their teachers and all the experiences in between that leave a lasting impact. Senior year is, for all intents and purposes, a celebration of those experiences. Through various senior events, trips, and dances, seniors make the most out of their remaining adolescence while parting with the lives they have made for themselves over the past four years.
Symbolically, the first senior event of the school year is the senior sunset. As early as 6 a.m., seniors gathered by Shore Road Park, and while they didn’t see the actual sun setting, the shift from nightfall to daybreak symbolized the bright year ahead. Students gathered with their friends, sharing picnic blankets, taking pictures and soaking in the sunrise.
On a chilly December day, right before winter break, seniors celebrated one last Pajama Day, commemorating the warmth that their togetherness brings. At the end of the day, they gathered into the auditorium drinking hot chocolate and watching The Grinch together. The cozy atmosphere of the auditorium was redolent of the dozens of movie nights students experienced as elementary school students, making for a full circle moment of an enjoyable experience.
A hallmark of the senior experience are senior trips. This year seniors had a choice to attend three different trips, a waterpark, ski day or free time at The American Dream Mall, or a Broadway expedition, where students watched Wicked after playing with their friends at the arcade. The forthcoming trip in mid-June is set as Six Flags: Great Adventure, where seniors can take one last adventure with their friends.
Senior Night, which took place in March, set the tone for the upcoming prom. Located in the cafeteria, students enjoyed the ecstatic throwback music, while taking silly photos in the photo booth and enjoying delicacies from the cherished chocolate fountain. The loud music and high spirits made for a night where seniors could enjoy the final months with their friends as the school year reached a turning point.
Creating a full circle moment, the Senior Sunrise, taking place at the end of the school year, symbolized the end of high school and childhood for seniors. Friends gathered at the same location as the senior sunrise right before the sun set and stayed until it was completely dark. Seniors rolled down hills, took many pictures, played volleyball and played sentimental music as they said goodbye to their teenage years.
Decision day, planned by the College Office, was an opportunity for students to celebrate their futures. Seniors gathered in the 83rd street gym to take pictures, eat cupcakes and sign a poster with their college commitment with their friends. Meanwhile, students compiled their accomplishments in videos either with their school name being enthusiastically shouted out, or in the background of the throwback Hannah Montana song, “I’ll Always Remember You.”
In the final stretch of this school year, seniors continue to look forward to more events: the six flags trip, yearbook distributions, a senior barbecue on the last day of classes, prom, and of course, graduation. These events will continue to define the senior year experience.
So, what is it like to be a senior in 2025? It is to be a student who has worked hard and grown throughout their high school career, saying goodbye to an experience that has been so formative. It’s a lucky position to be in, accomplished, surrounded by friends, and ready for what is to come.
But the senior year journey doesn’t end until we walk the stage at graduation and flip our tassels over our caps. Regardless, Fort seniors will remain Tigers forever.
