Good morning. When I was a senior in high school I didn’t really care about the graduation ceremony, cap and gown and didn’t even go to my senior prom. I didn’t date much in high school, girls came later in college. Baseball was king in high school so the prom didn’t matter.
Graduation night was about my “Granny.” She had three grandchildren graduating from the same high school. We had to move Heaven and Hell to get her a ticket, but she saw all three of us walk across the stage and she got her pictures.
My memory of that night wasn’t that I finished twelve years of school. The fact is I was accepted to the college I wanted in my junior year, so I coasted my senior year. But my memory is standing up as a row to march to the stage. We had practiced for a week and we were drilled to stay back a certain distance from the person in front of us. We had the drill down pat. But as things go, each senior was the perfect distance from each other as they went towards the stage. All but one, me.
When I stood to take my walk, I noticed the girl beside me had become so nervous, she had peed and her gown in the rear was soaked. So without telling her, I walked as close as I could without making her trip. The spectators were sitting above us, so the only way to block the stain, was to pretty much walk on top of her. She turned and looked at me a couple of times, with a sneer, but I didn’t say anything to her. When she got to the stage I still stayed close. Even getting a look from the principal. But no one saw her wet gown during her walk, so I accomplished my goal.
After we walked out of the gym, I told her. She wasn’t really a friend, I didn’’t get a thank you, but the hug I got, definately suprised her family and military boyfriend waiting on her.
Mostly my senior year memories were from the lunch room and my AP Calculus class, were four days of the five, the teacher let me host a game of raunchy chalkboard Wheel of Fortune.
I didn’t lose my virginity or drink my first beer. (That was in the eighth grade.) I didn’t breakup with the teenage love of my life or find the love of my life. But I did make a few life long memories that I didn’t need a tux or cap and gown for.
We all have dissapointments and have to adapt. My senior year was spent at a school where I hardly knew anyone because of redisticting.
So to all the seniors afraid of not making the memories of a lifetime at the senior prom or graduation, don’t worry, you have probably already made the senior memories you will cherish most.
