It was a Friday morning, breezy and sunny. Seniors took pictures, played nostalgic games, and bonded with one another. This marked the first senior event of the year, which many anticipated. Senior Sunrise is a high school event that signifies new beginnings and the start of their final year. It is supposed to be a memorable event that brings everyone together to share the bonding moment.

Senior Sunrise is a tradition that holds meaning for students beginning the final nine months of their high school experience. High school senior, Juliza Abrica, shared how she feels like the event is more than just an early morning gathering.

“I think it is an important part of high school that creates memories as our last year of high school,” Abrica said.

Although Senior Sunrise is usually a fun and bonding activity, not every student felt the same way. Senior April Carranza expressed how the event didn’t meet the excitement she anticipated.

“Honestly, I thought it was decent, there wasn’t much to do. We were there really early and felt super drained throughout the day. The only good thing was that I was there with my friends. The decorations were amazing but the vibes were just not there,” Carranza said.

When reflecting on the event, there was only one moment that was super symbolic and stood out to her the most.

“The most memorable part was everybody taking a picture,” Carranza said.

While not overwhelmingly emotional, Abrica admitted that a small sense of nostalgia came over her during the activities.

“A little bit when people were playing games,” Abrica said.

When asked about sharing this experience with her classmates, Carranza explained that she felt like the class was not really unified.

“I felt like we didn’t really share this experience, because we were all in different friend groups and we didn’t really bond as a senior class,” Carranza said.

Senior Maria Jose Estrada shared a similar perspective.

“I feel like we were all separated into our own island and in other events we’ve connected more,” Estrada said.

Looking ahead to the rest of the year, many seniors are excited about the upcoming celebrations that mark the end of their high school career. Carranza stated that the senior activity she looked forward to the most is Grad Night.

“Grad Night,” Carranza said.

For others, what lies ahead isn’t as exciting, as they’re already feeling the sadness of saying goodbye. Estrada discusses what the hardest part of graduating will be.

“Not hanging out with my friends every day,” Estrada said.

Whether exciting or underwhelming, the morning added one more shared memory to a year that will soon be filled with goodbyes.