Left and right, surrounding the front entrance outside of the school, phones could be seen everywhere taking pictures of friends touting shirts announcing their plans for after graduation. May 1st is the day when deposits are due for seniors committing to college. Since everyone has committed to college by this day, it has become an annual tradition for seniors to celebrate by wearing their college merchandise to school. 

Senior Future Decisions Day is a time when seniors are able to be celebrated by their teachers and peers before they graduate and move on to bigger and better things. Seniors were told to wear shirts that announced their plans, and then many also went to school early so that they could take photos with their peers and have WCHS as a background. 

“In the morning, I got to take pictures with so many different people that I am friends with in the grade,” WCHS senior Grace Liu said. “So many different senior girls were there, so I got to congratulate everyone and take pictures with them, not just my closest friends.”

The event united the grade before everyone separates and disperses all around the country next year.

“I saw some people that I haven’t seen all year,” WCHS senior Sanaz Wycoff said. “It was such a friendly and positive environment, everyone reminiscing on the past twelve years, and getting excited about what the next four will be like. It was nice to get this moment with everyone and have a sentimental start to the end of high school.”

Wearing shirts on May 1st is not only a way for friends to celebrate with each other, but also a way for people to reveal their plans and people to see where others are going.

“Looking around my classes is so fun to see the different colleges that people chose to go to,” Liu said. “There are some people that I am not friends with enough to have known where they were going, but I am still curious, so it is exciting to get to look around my classes with everyone in their shirts.”

Many teachers also wore shirts that showed where they went to college. This school wide celebration of post graduation plans was coordinated by SGA, administration and the counseling department. 

“SGA put this event together because it is a fun way for students to announce where they will be going to college, and also a tradition that many students have looked forward to participating in themselves for a long time,” WCHS senior and Class of 2023 SGA member Avery Max said. “Personally, I really enjoyed getting to be part of the morning and taking pictures.”

Senior Future Decisions Day was the perfect way for seniors to kick off their last month of school. As their time in MCPS comes to a close, and a bright future awaits all of them, it was appropriate to celebrate them and give them a chance to all come together.