There are many emotions surrounding the last year of high school; between the melancholy of moving on to the next important stage of life, the joy of finalizing and looking back at achievements from the past four years, and the anxiety of stepping into adult life, senior year is often a bittersweet one. Let’s hear from some of our seniors about their feelings this year.
Makaiya Williams, one of Titan seniors, had a pleasant but quite exhaustive experience at Olympia, but she mentions that she is feeling many emotions surrounding graduation.
“It feels good being in my last year, I’m just ready to graduate,” Williams shared. For her, the path through high school wasn’t always smooth. “I came here during my sophomore year, left during 11th-grade, and then I came back,” Williams says she would rate her overall experience of Olympia a 7.5 out of 10. Despite all of the ups and downs, senior year stands out as Makaiya’s favorite year. Looking ahead, there are some traditions Williams knows she’ll miss. “Maybe the pep rallies,” she admitted, reflecting on the excitement of school spirit. And as for graduation day itself? The emotions might hit hard, Makaiya admitted that there is a chance she will cry.
Dylan Roari, another one of our titan seniors who will miss some of our school events, also shared his experience as a senior.
Roari said he felt amazing about this year being his last one at Olympia. Unlike some who transferred in and out, he has been at Olympia for all four years of high school. When asked about his overall experience, he rated it as a 5.5 out of 10. Looking back, one year stood out the most to Raori: “freshman year,” he admits, recalling when students could still use their phones at lunch. When it came to school events, football games were the highlight for Dylan. “Even though I had to work most Fridays, I still enjoyed them,” he explained. Raori says he will miss his friends and some of his past teachers. “Mrs. Canizzaro was a great teacher,” he recalled.
Now let’s hear from Loundiana Beaublanc, a Titan who enjoyed her four years here at Olympia and is feeling many emotions now that they are coming to an end.
As her last year at Olympia High rolls on, Beaublanc reflects on her past four years with a mix of humor and honesty. “Oh, great. Amazing,” she exclaimed when asked how it feels to be a senior. Looking back, she rates her high school experience as a solid 6 out of 10. “Freshman year was the best,” she admits, smiling at the memory of being able to use phones at lunch— a small freedom that somehow made a big difference. When asked about the moments she’ll miss most, football games, pep rallies, and other school events came to mind. “Not really,” she said simply, proving that sometimes it’s the little everyday memories that stick, rather than the big events. Teachers have left their mark on her high school experience as well. “Mrs. Canizzaro was a great teacher,” she recalled fondly. Bleaublanc admitted that while she found Mrs. C’s class challenging, some classmates loved her class, showing that every high school experience is different depending on your personality. While Bleaublanc might not miss every event or class, the friendships and memories she’s created will stick with her long after graduation.
Andres Sojo Garcia, a senior who is an active member of Titan TV and boys’ baseball, also joined in on the reflection of his high school experience.
As graduation approaches, Garcia is already reminiscing about what he will miss the most. “Sports games, probably baseball games, also the pep rallies,” he shared when asked about his favorite memories. For a student athlete, those moments of competition and community are hard to replace. When it came to teachers who had influenced his high school experience, Garcia didn’t hesitate to give credit where it was due. “I want to shout out Coach Olley, who played a big role in my baseball career,” declared Garcia. Garcia’s coach has a special place in his high school memories. As for graduation itself, Garcia was not sure how emotional the moment would be. “I’m not a sentimental person,” he admitted, though he’s open to the possibility that the reality of leaving Olympia might hit hard when the time comes. With senior year moving quickly, Andres Sojo Garcia is savoring every moment on the field, in the classroom, and in the stands as he prepares to close this chapter and step into the next.
Clearly, there are many different emotions felt around seniors leaving. Overall, it was a wonderful experience with many memories.
