Think of yourself on a race course. You’re pushing yourself towards that finish line, until suddenly, with the end in sight, you decide to walk. To me, this is what senior quitting feels like.
Senior quitting is the phenomenon where students work all throughout their high school career to gather wide array of extracurriculars and leadership positions just to quit them their senior year.
Yes, seniors are burnt out: college apps, jobs and the weight of four years can take their toll. But walking away makes all that effort meaningless. Why join but not stay long enough to reap the rewards? Many extracurriculars take measures to ensure senior participation such as senior nights and headshots in sports and different kinds of senior privilege in clubs.
Personally, I’ve been excitedly waiting my turn for my senior night; the night where I get a poster made for me, get cheered on by my friends and family and get personalized gifts. I’ve spent the last three years cheering on my upperclassmen, now it’s my chance to have my last hurrah before I leave.
Of course I understand when you’re a senior, at some point school seems to reach a particular degree of monotony, but I guarantee if you let yourself fall off or fade away in your last couple months of school you’ll regret it. While some can be in a rush to put high school behind us, most would agree that it was never 100% bad. You’ll never again sit around your lunch table laughing, scream at a pep rally or enjoy those carefree club days once graduation hits.
There really is something truly unique about the high school experience, and at the risk of sounding like an adult who peaked too early, I wouldn’t be in such a hurry to skip through it. Being a senior gives you your last chance to be a part of this community you’ve spent the last four years growing up in. You still have the power to make an impact, to lead and to enjoy it.
Take advantage of the opportunities you have and hang on until the end, it’s worth it to finish strong.
