by Bre Hart, ’19
Each summer, students embark on adventures to other cities, states and continents to break away from the stress of high school and to create new memories with friends and family.
Vacations are talked about weeks in advance as students prepare to forget about school supplies and tests for thirteen of the hottest weeks of the year.
Senior Thomas Mitchell plans to spend his summer interning at his uncle’s law firm and going to Canada with friends.
“I’m going to intern at a law firm in the ground place of the firm,” Mitchell said. “Helping file, getting opportunity to see court stuff.”
Outside of interning, Mitchell will spend around ten days in Canada with friends. The trip will be his first vacation without any parental supervision.
Since freshman year, Mitchell’s summers have been less and less monitored by parents, with more freedom to explore.
“I would say that each year, I’ve become a lot more independent, doing things alone or with a group with less control from parents,” Mitchell said.
Like Mitchell, many seniors plan to spend their summer working, interning and saying goodbye to four years of high school.
Senior Alex Hatton’s summer plans are to save up for college and spend time with her family.
“At the end of July, my grandparents will be celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary,” Hatton said. “They will be taking the entire family down to Jamaica for a week, for an all-inclusive vacation.”
Hatton believes that this summer will be much less stressful than years before.
“I think it will be a lot nicer to know I won’t have to come back to be at high school, which is a very stress-inducing place,” Hatton said.
While not all seniors will go on extravagant vacations, most plan to turn their textbooks in, take their diplomas and move on to the next chapter in life.
Part of that next chapter is the freedoms of being considered an adult.
“I think having a high school diploma is a big step forward. It’s a stepping off point,” Mitchell said.
Graduation marks the end of childhood, and brings the excitement of summer trips, college and finding new people to make new memories with.