I've been in the teaching business long enough and have seen enough classes come and go that I've developed a theory as to the emotions a high school senior feels in their last year. It comes in stages and is actually similar to the stages of grief but doesn't always follow the same time frame.
1. Restless confinement: (lasts from September to May) Students feel trapped in a situation that limits their freedom. They are often heard using phrases like "I can't wait to get out of here!"
2. Shock: (lasts from around the beginning of May to the last week of school) As they count the days, seniors realize the end is near and it truly makes them take a deep breath. The end of the journey that they believed would never happen is finally here. During this stage, students might be heard asking, "Are we really getting out of here?"
3. Sadness: (last week of school until graduation) Seniors have spent most of the year focusing on things they will not miss about high school like rules, tests, etc... However, in this stage they begin to think about the things they will miss like friends, experiences, and even relationships with teachers. In this stage seniors may be heard exclaiming, "I can't believe this is over!" sometimes through tears.
4. Acceptance: (begins the moment their graduation hat flies into the air) When the principal/head master says "I present the class of 20..." and everyone cheers, seniors realize that a new phase of their life has begun. Even if they could go back, it wouldn't be the same as it was. It is time to celebrate their accomplishments and move on.
Even though I have seen many classes walk across the stage, I don't want to give the impression that the ritual has become routine. Any good teacher will tell you that every class is special. We are the shipbuilders. We build the ships and launch the ships out onto the sea of life. Each one is different and unique. As we stand on the dock and watch them sail into the horizon, our hopes and dreams go with every ship that has been lovingly crafted and hammered together. We are the shipbuilders. We are the makers of dreams.
