Rockville High School Senior Diary: The Perks Of Being a Senior

I have paid my dues at Rockville High School.

And this year, I'm one of the big dogs on campus.

Being a senior in high schoool means college applications, jobs, prom, but mostly importantly, it's about the perks. I looked around the auditorium at the freshmen and think back to my first few days in high school. I thought senior year was so far away. I thought that time would drag on before my last first day of school.

Just to be clear, that did not happen. It feels like it was just yestrday when I walked through the mass number of doors to the carpeted lobby donned with a big letter "R."

Being a senior is hard. Applying for college and filling out form after form is not ideal, but it does come with much- deserved perks. This is the last year to soak in all the fun parts you have enjoyed since freshman year, along with some top-dog privileges.

Link Crew, while not a privilege of seniority, is a group of students wanting to make a difference for the freshmen and one of the many ways that I can give back to my school. It is only offered for the juniors and seniors, and being a part of it both years was hard work, but worth every second.

Senior privilege passes allow students to leave during their study hall. I have two, but I am cheap so I wait form my brother who is a junior, to finish his class before I head home. He is so used to taking the bus though that it takes him an extra ten minutes to find his way out to my car, on top of already walking at the pace of a handicapped snail.

Having a car, and my very own parking spot, is something that I have waited my entire high school life for and now, it is even better than I imagined. The ability to leave and not wait for an extra 45 minutes for my mom to pick me up is a blessing. I also scored the very first parking spot, so it is basically a perk on top of a perk.

Getting senior portraits done was also something I have been waiting for, but something my father has been dreading. Who doesn't like overpriced pictures of themselves, and now that I have 15 of my very own, I think we are going to have to take out a second mortgage. But, because I am a senior and the grandparents love pictures - like, really love pictures - we bought a few. It was an experience I will never forget and something that my family can treasure forever.

Walking through the halls and saying "hello" to every teacher you have ever had, gives a sense of acceptance and fitting in when you can be so social. Making new friends (yes teachers can be friends) makes the time in school a lot more enjoyable when your friends are there to help and support you.

The senior lounge, while not a sanctuary for seniors, is something underclassmen have passed by every day going to lunch and whished they could be a part of it. Four round tables and limited seating means less noise, crowding, and chaos that is the environment of the cafeteria.

No matter how many friends you have, prom is one the greatest nights of any high school senior's life. Whether it is the thrill of being asked, (or doing the asking yourself) picking the perfect dress, glamming up for the big night, or dancing the night away with your friends, prom is the perfect way to end your senior year.

The best thing about prom is that there is no "right" way to do prom. You do not need a boyfriend or a date, and pictures with a group of friends is way better than pictures with one other guy or girl. It really is one of those once-in-a- lifetime events, I mean when else do you get to wear a floor length ball gown and colorful tuxedo that you will be sure to look back on and maybe even send in your embarrasingly funny photos to the Ellen Degeneres Show.

At this point in your career, you have gotten the know most people and have a lot of the same classes with the new friends that you have made. Coming into a big school with scary upperclassmen, you do not have the same comfort level as you do when you are a senior. Taking advantage of small classes and even teachers that know your name is a luxury that many may not have in college when they have leacture classes where many of their friends may not be.

Being the oldest students in the building, seniors have to lead by example with maturity and responsibility. However, as it goes, expectations and reality do not always go hand-in-hand. Senior pranks are nortorious for their eccentricity and hilarity. They can range from proud moments of school spirit, to the school janitor's worst nightmare. There is a fine line between what is okay and what is not, but it is somewhat blurred so planning out the perfect senior prank takes a lot of time and creativity.

With each passing day, the college experience is forever more real, but on graduation day, when you walk up to receive that diploma that says "you made it," is when it really hits you, or so I am told. When all of your hard work and dedication has paid off, you can finally breath out a much needed sigh of relief.

Not to say that any other year of school is much different. We all work hard, go to sporting events, and procrastinate doing our homework until the last minute. But being a senior, as I am learning, has some well deserved perks that you should enjoy while you have them because in a year, things will all be different.

Photo Credit: Emily Harrison

Emily Harrison's senior diary is a feature of the Rockville High School creative writing program. She will be filing regular installments throughout the 2016-17 school year.