Seniors reflect on their final year in high school

by Anna Alford, Staff writer

and Makenzie Hilling, Student Life Editor

The following story was written by a student on the staff of The Jaguar Times as part of Hilliard Bradley High School’s Journalism Production course.

Caroline Whitt (12) and other color guard members enjoy their first halftime show on a football Friday night. Photo by Ms. Watts.

After a long and strange year, the seniors’ time at Hilliard Bradley is coming to a close. Many students feel that the year was uneventful due to the unexpected appearance of COVID-19. The Class of 2021 missed out on many normal senior activities and traditions such as homecoming, sporting events, and concerts. Although things weren’t normal, seniors feel that they’ve had a memorable experience.

Many seniors feel that they missed out on their final year of high school, but they’ve learned a lot from what they lost. Caroline Whitt (12) says, “I wish I had the opportunity to take more unique but low pressure electives.” Still fretful about final decisions, Caroline didn’t think this last year was exciting because “it didn’t feel like a real school year.” Tak Tam (12) agrees because “so many of the senior experiences got taken away, so [his] last year felt underwhelming.” Although the past year wasn’t perfect, Tak and Caroline are both excited for the future. Caroline says, “this year was pretty memorable with all of the changes, and I’m excited for college.”

As these seniors reflect on their previous experiences, most agree that they regret not stepping out of their comfort zone. Maddy Taylor (12) comments that she should have, “got involved more earlier in [her] years here.” However, some students like Abby Ullum (12) believe they, “made the most of it while [she] could, [she] wouldn’t want to trade it for anything else.”

Maddy Taylor (12) at the ILC learning how to put in an IV and draw blood. Photo by Maddy Taylor.

Although this year was unforgettable due to the situation at hand, seniors still have some positive memories. Maddy Taylor explains that she will, “remember the fun innovative ideas Bradley came up with,” in order to make this year more enjoyable. However, Maddy mentions she was, “upset to miss out on all the football Friday nights and basketball games.” Bradley has tried its best to create new ways to get students involved and active within school. Abby Ullum confesses that she “wish[es] [she] would’ve gone to more dances while [she] had the chance.” She thinks her senior year has been unforgettable simply due to COVID-19. However, Abby still wonders, ‘where did all the time go.” As seniors have gone back in full time, they’re finally getting a bit of normalcy to finish their high school memories.

When talking to the adults that work with these seniors, Mr. Hamilton gave insight on how they feel. He explains that he has been, “working with these now seniors as juniors,” and that he helps “calm their nerves when they begin their college search.” Mr. Hamilton believes that, “energy is starting to gain some momentum as the end of the year comes,” and that seniors are finally “on the home stretch.” With seniors only having around 30 more school days left, they are beginning to look onto their next steps as they plan for their future.

As a whole, the 2020-2021 year did not go as planned for these seniors. They were thrown into adversity and made it out alive. Although they did not get the year they wanted, or even expected, this final year in high school will be a very distinct memory.