Every year without fault, seniors across the country are hit with a raging case of senioritis, only exacerbated as the spring time approaches and along with it, testing season. Seniors, however, have temporary reprieves from this throughout the school year.
Whether it’s senior sunrise, senior picnic, or even Grad Bash, there are events incorporated within the year to celebrate seniors and provide relaxing, lasting memories of high school. One day stands out as a perplexing occasion for both teachers and students alike: senior skip day.
Senior skip day is an annual tradition in which seniors skip a day of school to hang out either at the beach or just at home. The confusion comes in the form of dates and misinformation. Since senior skip day is rarely sponsored by a school, the date is chosen by the senior class.
Considering there are hundreds of students in the senior class it is expected that it is nearly impossible to simply choose one date and have a general consensus on it. Oftentimes what occurs is that seniors choose several different dates and end up missing more than one day of school.
Teachers themselves are unaware of which date is chosen and end up having students miss important tests, assignments, or projects. Social media also spreads false information, and the wrong dates diffuse across the senior class.
Although, understandably, schools don’t want to encourage students to skip class, having a school-sponsored senior skip day can properly address all of these concerns.
By having one specific day, schools across the country could have seniors out on the same day, allowing everyone to truly understand when the event is. That way seniors would only miss one day of school instead of multiple due to inconsistencies and miscommunication.
Even better, teachers would know which day seniors would be gone and as a result would be able to plan accordingly and avoid scheduling important events or exams on that day.
Senior skip day might be perceived as teenagers playing hooky by adults or other authorities, it is important to recognize that these senior events are truly what make senior year memorable. After four years of hard work and dedication, senior skip day provides seniors a day to relax.
Considering that senior skip day is usually in the spring prior to exams it also allows seniors to avoid burnout and focus on the future. Senior skip day doesn’t just have to be about fun, it can also be about the future.
Whether it’s studying for senior exams, creating a mood board for their future, seniors can utilize this day to prioritize their future and plan for their secondary education plans. Senior skip day can also be made into an incentive.
Students who are passing their classes with a certain GPA can enjoy their day. This would also serve to encourage students that aren’t thriving academically to do so in order to skip. Other ways that it could be turned into an incentive by requiring students to turn in all their work prior to skipping, making sure that both students and teachers are satisfied.
Ultimately, the confusion that senior skip day brings could all be solved easily by making it school endorsed.
