Senior Spring: Relishing the Middlesex “Lasts”

With impending graduation, how are Seniors spending their last days at Middlesex?

One day a year, freshmen, sophomores, and juniors alike walk past the Circle, only to see the seniors bathing in the glory of a free day; no stress, just pure contentment. We all then lug ourselves to our next class, wishing for it to be our turn soon. As a freshman, I still have three more years until this much anticipated day of senior freedom, but if I’ve learned anything from the Chapel speeches, time here at Middlesex is precious, and it goes by fast. The seniors are experiencing all their Middlesex “lasts” this year: from the last square dance to the last spring carnival, graduation will soon come to sweep them all onto another journey and an entirely new chapter of their lives. 

Senior boarder Kathryn Vinson ‘24 comments that the last few months of school have been a relaxing, yet sentimental time. With the focus on academics diminishing drastically, seniors have more time to reconnect with friends. Kathryn laments that there will most likely never be another time when this same group of people in the Middlesex graduating class of 2024 will ever be fully together again. 

Most seniors, having already confirmed their future plans after graduation, are increasingly aware of the importance of cherishing the time that is slowly slipping from their fingertips. From senior spring break trips to pond jumps, what teachers call neglect of academics are in fact the seniors’ way of treasuring their last days at a place where they've had some of their most formative experiences..

Olivia Vlacich notes that with the warm weather finally arriving, she tries her best to be outside during her free time, whether it is playing badminton, throwing frisbee, or going on walks, while still focusing on important academics by studying in the library. She does admit that she has less motivation to focus on academics, but simultaneously appreciates the lesser emphasis on it as she states, “there isn’t as much pressure so I’m just enjoying the process.”

Additionally, many seniors are spending a quality amount of time working on their plaque, a special way to leave their mark on Middlesex and celebrate their years here. To bottle up all one’s experiences in a single artwork is not an easy feat, but it is a token of themselves that stays at Middlesex forever. If you ask me, that’s worth more than any test grade.

At the end of the day, Middlesex alumni do not remember the grades or AP test scores that they earned each year, but the friends, relationships, and memories made along the way. So it should be expected, and even encouraged, that seniors spend their last months at Middlesex playing, laughing, and cherishing every detail. Before we all know it, they will experience their last English class, last spike ball game on the Circle, and last night spent on campus, so we should enjoy it while it lasts. 

Michelle Cai