Senior Year Special

"Yes!" exclaimed one lucky senior during mid-day study break.

"Quiet!" exclaimed a fellow senior during mid-day study break.

Mid-day study break during senior year was generally not taken seriously, especially at this time of year.  Textbook information for final exams was memorized long ago (although a few continued to study nonetheless), so the lucky senior's exclamation was overlooked.  (The other senior did not plan on taking in the senior year special.)

"I will," said another lucky senior during a lunch hour outing.

"Of course, I will," said a third lucky senior, caught off guard.

"Okay," said yet again another lucky senior in a rather unusual acceptance tone as the two parted ways in the seniors-only parking lot.

"Sure, why not," said another lucky senior as casually as possible because the two were merely friends and had only one class together this year (therefore the only chance to ask and accept).

Many seniors throughout Washington High School were either proposing or accepting.  This atmosphere for seniors was exceptionally palpable and looked forward to for quite some time and was seasonal - prom season.  Every senior girl looked forward to being asked to prom.

Prom, as the senior year special, was like a dream for the young men and young women.  The couples, in this moment, were meant to be and the proposals were akin to engagement to marriage.  Some couples were high school sweethearts since freshman year.  Some couples began dating at  the beginning of the year.  Some couples were best friends for some time and attending prom together just made sense.  Stray seniors here and there went to prom alone just to say they went to prom.

The dress code for the senior year special was exceptionally formal...as prom would be.  The young men were handsome as they wore polished bespoke tuxedos...much the way a groom would.  Young women were breathtaking in affordable couture gowns, affordable couture makeup and hair styling, and a silver-plated or gold-plated promise ring offered to them by their dates...somewhat like a bride.

The young men and women took dance lessons offered by the school's student affairs department.  Dance lessons were common for brides and grooms to be.

In the history of Washington High School, popular students went on weekend trips following prom.  These trips were very much a part of the prom experience.  These trips included young adult activities obvious to the seniors not appropriate for their age, but nonetheless part of the prom experience.  The trips, like the formal attire, were akin to bride and groom celebration with a honeymoon.

Senior year in Washington High School offered amazing perks, from designated parking to first period off and coming in late or last period off and leaving early to eating lunch out to shadowing a teacher in lieu of class to the cafeteria designated for study hall when not in lunchtime use to end of year senior class celebration bashes (school sponsored events, ditch day, time off after graduation ceremony preparation, day of choosing off after final exams).  Graduation would forever be the hallmark of hard work and perseverance leading to student success.

The senior year special, then, was the perfect cap to four long years.