By Delaney Casten

For most teenagers, the first day of school only means the beginning of another school year, but for seniors, it’s the beginning of the end.  There are 417 seniors at Tuscarora, all of whom have dreamed of becoming a senior about to go to college. On September 3rd, this dream became reality.

“Walking in on the first day of school was sad and overwhelming,” said senior class president Lilly Thomas.  “It seem[s] like I was just a freshman.”

Since this is the seniors’ last year, it is also their last chance to try to raise or maintain their GPAs.  Seniors also have to fill out their college applications on time. For most early action or early decision applications, the deadline is November 1st, while for most regular admission applications, the deadline is January 1st.

Most people think of 12th grade as an easy year to catch up on work, but in reality it can be very stressful.  With worries about college and as many as 7 AP classes, senior year can be just as hard, if not harder, than the other three years of high school.

Besides all the work with college and AP classes, senior year can be a fun time.  Although the seniors face more responsibilities this year, they also have more freedoms, like being able to sit outside during lunch and leave school during early release. Senior year is also the last year to show off high school spirit and participate in spirit days and games.

“I really enjoy going to football games every Friday and showing off my Tuscarora spirit,” says Thomas.

Some seniors are also starting to participate in new extracurricular activities, such as sports that they haven’t done before. Thomas, who is starting her first year on the cross country team, is one example.  She is also on the varsity soccer team.

“Joining a team has had a big impact on my high school career,” says Anna Bredice, who is on the cross country team.  “Being a senior and being on a team makes you feel special.”

Seniors involved in sports also get a “senior night,” which is during the last home game of the regular season for any sport. There, the sports teams introduce and recognize all the seniors on the team.

While senior year can be a fun time, it can also be a year of apathy. Many students have always asked “What’s the point?” or “Why do we have twelve years of school?”  But grade school is important not just for core classes like math and science but for learning lessons that will be useful throughout life.

 “Grade school has taught me good work ethics,” says Thomas.  “It has taught me that in the long run, hard work does pay off.”

Every year, students look forward to being a senior, but once they’re a senior, what do they have left to look forward to?

“I can’t wait to get a college acceptance letter,” says Thomas.  “I just want to know that all my hard work has paid off.”

Overall, senior year can be stressful but also fun.  Starting to prepare for the future and looking back on the past can be bittersweet. Grades kindergarten through 11th grade try to prepare students for senior year and eventually college, but nothing compares to reality.

This is Tuscarora’s first senior class that has been at Tuscarora for all four years (9th-12th grade), and its members have already set high standards.  Every year, schools cherish their seniors, but Tuscarora especially cherishes the class of 2014, for they have made a lasting impression.