Senior year calls for lots of time spent in front of computer screens studying, applying for college, and sometimes falling asleep face down on your keyboard. In the midst of all the stress that comes with this monumental year, there are lots of things that you should try to do before moving on from this chapter of your life. Here’s a list of all the things you should do to make senior year as nostalgic and memorable as possible. 

Go to football games

With 10 varsity football games this season, there are plenty of opportunities for students to make it into “The Pit” and cheer on the football team. Nothing can beat the atmosphere of a Friday Night Lights football game. Grab your camo shirt, USA accessories, or cowboy boots and come to the games decked out in the spirit theme. Don’t forget to take lots of pictures to capture the moment.

Create a senior memory box

One thing you won’t regret 10 years from now is saving physical bits and pieces of your senior year. Whether it’s just a receipt from a brunch you went to with friends or your first college acceptance letter, saving things like that can capture a moment in time. You could buy a plain box at Michaels and decorate it to your personality, or you could just use an old shoebox, but having somewhere to store the small things throughout the year will be so worth it in the long run. 

Participate in Powderpuff

Every year, the junior class and senior class girls go head to head in a flag football game, “Powderpuff”. Not only is this a fun opportunity for all, it’s also a major fundraiser for the junior class. For five weeks in the fall, junior and senior girls wake up at the crack of dawn to prepare, strategize, and train for the big game. This year, the game will be on Oct. 10 at 7 PM. If you’re not planning on participating, consider coming out to support the girls and junior class on game day. Something about early morning practice with a Starbucks or Dunkin run after hits different in the fall. 

Write your future self a letter

While it may sound like a hassle right now, taking five minutes to write your future self a letter will be much appreciated by said future self. Whether you do it on paper or online, documenting your goals and thoughts can be so entertaining to revisit in a few months. You can ask yourself questions and see if they got answered. You can set yourself goals and see if you accomplished them. You can use it to challenge yourself, or you can just do it for fun.

Finish college applications

If you’re a senior planning to apply to college and you keep telling yourself you have plenty of time before then, well, time is up. Right now is the time to begin filling in your applications, writing your essay, and figuring out the best way to present yourself to admissions officers. Don’t stress, but also don’t slack.

Save money

Just do it; you won’t regret it. That Dunkin refresher you’re thinking about buying tomorrow will be much more tasty when you have to pull an all-nighter in college, so save your money now and save it for then.

Decorate grad caps

A great way to leave high school with a bang is by having an iconic graduation cap. At Potomac Falls, students are allowed to get an idea approved and then customize their graduation cap with that idea. You can add a quote that means a lot to you, a collage of your friends and favorite memories, or even bedazzle a design that people will see shining from the top of the stands at graduation!

Attend homecoming and prom

You’re only in high school once, so just go to the dance. If you were considering skipping homecoming and prom this year, here’s your reminder to not do that. These two dances are a fun opportunity to dress up with your friends, eat food, and celebrate together. If there’s one thing you’ll regret when you’re older, it’s going to be not going to these dances. Let your parents take awkward photos of you and your friends one last time.

Do a senior photoshoot

There’s no better way to celebrate graduating or committing to a college than by capturing that moment in time forever. Senior photoshoots, professional or not, are the perfect thing to commemorate all your accomplishments over the years. Whether you want to go to a field and pose with a banner of your college or go to your favorite restaurant and take goofy photos, senior photos can be unique to each person.