The Senior Tailgate is the true beginning of the end. It symbolizes our transition into Senior Year, and eventually, our transition into the real world. It is a tradition at our school, a sign of not only goodbyes to this year’s seniors, but also the welcoming of the new senior class. And with the number of Juniors debating even attending the tailgate, my interest was especially piqued; why is the tailgate so important?

“It’s a coming of age,” says Taimur Ahmed, junior.

It symbolizes our climb to the upper class, all of our struggles that we have (somehow) survived not only this year, but for the last three. Numerous AP tests, finals, and loads of extra credit have all led to this moment, our senior year.

Since we were freshman, we’ve wanted to be seniors, to get to be the ones the younger students look up to, and to finally fill the roles we’ve always wanted. It’s our year to be team captain, club president, director, or Editor-in-Chief.

“It’s our time to embrace that we’re growing up,” says Olivia Burress, junior.

Additionally, the tailgate is a great bonding experience for the Junior Class before getting to leave for the summer. Of course, there are more chances next year, but this is a one-time-only senior event, which won’t happen again until graduation.

“I think it’s fun to do something as an entire class, because there’s food, games, and a dress-up theme,” says Heidi Wittwer, junior.

The theme this year is Woodstock, which is very exciting for most of the soon-to-be-seniors. Additionally, there will be a variety of foods, drinks, and games, all of which add to the party-feeling of the tailgate.

The tailgate is the beginning of the end of our high school experience, because in just one week we will officially be seniors. The tailgate is a must-attend kind of event.

We’ve survived Biology, Geometry, and AP Euro; now is our chance to make up for the suffering we’ve experienced in our first three years. We only have one chance to do things like this; we’ll only have one tailgate, one Toga Day, one senior year of high school.