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What to Expect During Senior Year

Tuesday, July 27, 2021 | By: Rebekah Gregg Photography

Here we are! Less than a week away from the first day of school! The Last First Day for Class of 2022!

It probably doesn't feel real for most of you. So much will happen this year and it will go by so quickly! I thought I'd try my best to give you an idea of what to expect this year: deadlines, activities, etc. 

Some things are more important than others and some of the things I've listed are traditions that not every school does. Obviously this isn't an exhaustive list for every school so if your school has traditions or requirements that I haven't listed I'd love to hear about yours in the comments!

Class of 2020 girls first day picture

Last  First  Day for Class of 2022!!!

First Week: I've seen some awesome traditions for a lot of schools over the years! 

  • Senior Breakfast with friends. -  A lot of friend groups have breakfast together on the first day of school! They meet at one of their houses and bring food or their amazing moms get it all ready for them. This is such a sweet way to really savor your Last First Day and to start the year off with people you are closest to!
  • Group Picture in front of school - Last year, quite a few schools kept this tradition going and understandably caught some flack for it. Even I received some hate mail from complete strangers because of it. I'll admit that doing it last year was not the wisest idea and that we could have come up with a way to do it differently in light of the pandemic. This year, I'm hoping that with the numbers lower in our area and with many kids vaccinated that this tradition can continue safely or that we will spread out a little more or wear those masks! ;)
  • Theme Weeks - I know most of the schools in our area have created themes for each day. Some senior classes have created Instagram pages just for their class and for announcements where they post the themes for each day.

Fall Semester

I don't know which semester is busier: fall or spring! There are so many things that have to be taken care of pretty early in the year and it feels almost impossible to keep up with all of it. It can all feel a little overwhelming, especially if you're the first-born or only child in your family because this is the first time your parents are going through this also and you don't want things to fall through the cracks or to miss a deadline.

  • Yearbook picture - most schools in the Atlanta area require that you get your formal senior picture taken by whichever studio they are contracted with. You'll need to schedule this session over the summer or make sure you attend the make-up day at school in August or September if you want to be included in your yearbook.
  • Senior portraits - For your casual senior pictures you have more options for which photographer you want to hire and when you'll have these done! Here are 2 posts I've written to help you decide how to choose your photographer and when to have your senior pictures taken. You don't want to procrastinate on scheduling this session because my sessions have been booking about 4 months in advance! When you book early you have more choices for which dates are available which is especially helpful if you have sports, activities and work schedules to work around.

          - When is the Best Time to Schedule a Senior Session?

          - Choosing the Right Photographer for You

  • Sign up for reminders - I know Sequoyah HS always has a Remind app group for each senior class so you'll want to be sure and get logged in to that to receive reminders 
  • College visits - You may have already begun visiting some colleges you're interested in. Junior year is a great time to do this but if you haven't started yet then now is the time! 
  • SAT/ACT - If you're planning to attend college the year after you graduate high school then you'll need to take your SAT or ACT early so that you can submit your score with your college application. The tests fill up quickly so don't wait too long to get this on the calendar!
  • College applications - Early admission for many universities is fall semester and deadlines for applications are the end of November or mid-December. Many schools open their application process in August. Of course it's never too late to apply but for your top choices or for schools with very rigorous requirements don't wait too long.
  • Senior nights for sports and activities - every school I know of has Senior Night for each sport and for many activities and clubs like Drama and Chorus. If you're involved in a fall sport you'll probably need to submit pictures for your sport's program as well.
  • Order cap and gown - It seems really early to be thinking about this but the deadline for ordering your cap and gown is almost always the first week of December! 
  • Homecoming - Can't forget about Homecoming game and dance! I think this year there will be more events if enough people are vaccinated or we may need to continue to plan smaller events like the last two years. Either way, I'm sure there will be some way to celebrate and you'll be looking for the right dress or suit and coordinating plans with your friends.
Schedule Your Senior Portrait Session!

Spring Semester

  • AP Exams - If you have AP classes, the exams for those are taken in May and there will be lots to prepare for and study!
  • Prom - Definitely an event you don't want to skip! Even if they are smaller events like the ones held this past spring it's so fun to get out all dressed up with your friends and celebrate!
  • Senior slideshow - A lot of schools will show pictures of each student during the Senior Breakfast or at an assembly. Deadlines for submitting your images is usually in March so whoever is putting it together has time get it done.
  • Graduation announcements - There are a couple options for your announcements: 

       - Invitations: If you are wanting to use your announcement to invite friends and family to graduation or to a graduation party then order these about a month before graduation. That will give you a couple weeks to gather addresses and to get them in the mail at least 2 weeks before graduation.

       - Announcements: Announcements can be sent either before graduation or any time over the summer after graduation. You're letting loved ones know you graduated but you don't have to worry so much about a deadline because there isn't a specific date they need to put on their calendar.

  • Graduation practice - There will be at least one mandatory graduation practice. Do not miss it! If you do, it's highly likely that you will not be allowed to walk with your class.
  • Senior Walk - Cherokee County students have the option to wear their caps and gowns to their former elementary school and walk the halls to inspire those students and to say Thank You to your teachers and administrators. It's such a sweet morning to reflect on how far you've come and all the hard work it's taken to get to this point!
  • Senior Breakfast - Quite a few schools hold a senior breakfast during the week of graduation practice. This is a time for your school's PTA and parents to honor you and to celebrate with you.
  • GRADUATION! - Some schools only have room for a limited amount of guests per student and some (hopefully Cherokee County will be able to go back to this soon) where you can bring as many people as you like with no limits. In the past, I've tried to go to the ceremonies of students I've taken pictures for and I missed getting to see Class of 2020 walk. I really do hope things will be under control enough this year to allow anyone to attend!
  • Graduation parties - You may want to ask just your family to come or you might include friends as well. A lot of graduation parties are considered Open Houses where guests can drop in whenever they like and stay as long as they want and is much less formal than having a determined start and end time.

 

As you can see, there are so many things to look forward to and a lot of deadlines and requirements to keep up with! My best advice is to reach out to someone who graduated before you or to a parent who has been through all of it before. Also find or create a Facebook group either for your graduating class or some way to stay informed or ask questions. Beyond all these details, I hope your senior year experience is amazing! The year will fly by and I hope you take time to really enjoy it and to take care of yourself physically, mentally and emotionally. When things feel overwhelming take a step back and remember that the rest of your life isn't determined solely on what happens this year. Try to enjoy being with your friends as much as possible and thankful for them, for your family, for teachers, and mentors who have helped you along the way!

Congratulations! Getting this far is a huge accomplishment and I hope you find awesome ways to celebrate!

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