When my senior year started there was already such a disconnect from us as a whole, especially since this was our first full year back from the pandemic. We were lacking so much school spirit in being a proud Hillcrest Hawk. We hadn’t had face to face conversations/relations besides our inner circles. So when I came back as a senior, it didn’t feel like I was a senior, and I think a lot of seniors can also relate with this. 

Coming back to school there were so many rule changes that even I had a hard time adjusting to. Such as strict no tardy policies, taking away senior full lunches, and hall sweeps, just to name a few. From being already adjusted to what I’m used to from previous years of experience at that school and stories from past seniors. We didn’t get to have simple events that would’ve set the tone of school spirit, such as a start of school assembly, which is traditional. 

Amongst us seniors there were a lot of disputes and disagreements when it came to making decisions as a collective. This certainly didn’t help the matter that we couldn’t agree on simple events that would’ve added to the excitement of being a senior. 

I asked a few seniors their comments about our senior year, here’s what they had to say.

“I felt like the staff of the school were highly unfair for the majority of the year and they failed to even slightly listen to the important thoughts and opinions of the student body multiples times.”- Anonymous Hawk

“It wasn’t the ideal senior year, but I loved every second.”- Javoi Lee

“I enjoyed it but activity wise we didn’t do much” – Anonymous Hawk

Definitely a few mixed emotions but overall a success for most. I would like to agree there were some challenges of getting back into the swing of things. Especially since we weren’t doing senior exclusive activities, again making us feel as though we aren’t seniors, but regular students.

In my opinion seniors do have a higher authority over the atmosphere of the school since we’re more mature and experienced than lowerclassmen. It felt like we had no control whatsoever of decisions made for us, without us.

Nonetheless, my highlight of my senior year was our senior field trip. I would like to give a shoutout to Ms. A. We doubted her so much on her decision to take us to an arcade for a senior trip, but it was the best decision made for us seniors all year. I finally felt that loving atmosphere. We were all doing our own things while still enjoying each other’s company.

This was also an opportunity where us seniors had something just for us, which is what we’ve been wanting the whole school year.