Preview: ASB to host first-ever Senior Week

Ryan Lee, Hallie Faust, and Jason Lin
May 3, 2021

Seniors can look forward to participating in exciting activities — including donning 2000s clothing and attending a concert — during Palo Alto High School’s inaugural Senior Week at lunch, May 11-14, on the Quad.

Senior Week, a four-day series of events organized for seniors by Palo Alto High School’s Associated Student Body, is set to take place during lunch from May 11-14. As a result of the cancellation of many traditional events Paly’s seniors normally get to participate in, Senior Week is an opportunity for seniors to celebrate the in-person return and make up for lost time, senior Thomas Florant said. “It is the closest thing we get to some of the parallels like Spirit Week,” Florant said. “People are looking for ways to build community and just socialize in general, and Senior Week sounds like a great way to do it.” Graphic: @palyclassof2021 on Instagram

Organized by Paly’s Associated Student Body, Senior Week gives seniors a chance to reclaim their school spirit after many highly anticipated events, such as Spirit Week and Prom, were canceled this year due to COVID-19 restrictions, according to Senior Class President Emma Lin.

“In regular years, seniors have plenty of traditions like ‘No-Pants Day’ and ‘Bring-Your-Dog-to-School Day,’” Lin wrote in an email to The Paly Voice. “Senior Week is an opportunity for seniors to have some fun dressing up since we didn’t get to have a senior year Spirit Week.”

On Tuesday, seniors are invited to participate in No-Pants Day, and they can also enjoy free donuts and coffee on the Quad. In the spirit of being “seniors,” students can come dressed as senior citizens on Wednesday, which also boasts a game of bingo. Seniors are encouraged to dress in 2000s outfits for Throwback Thursday, and ASB will supply snacks from the 2000s. To top off the week, seniors are invited to wear camouflage and their senior jerseys while they enjoy a concert on the Quad on Friday.

Throughout the week, there will be cap and gown decorating, senior jersey pick-up and a spikeball tournament.

Senior Thomas Florant has been regularly attending in-person learning since the option became available in early March. With vaccine immunity on the rise, Florant said he has observed more students looking forward to events such as Senior Week.

“At least three-fourths of my friend group or more have gotten at least one dose of a vaccine,” Florant said. “With people coming out on the other side of this pandemic, people are looking for activities that will help them feel like they have come out.”

Senior Jeremy Huang — who has not attended in-person school this year — also plans to come to school during Senior Week.

“I have been looking forward to the senior events for a while,” Huang said. “And now that I am fully vaccinated, I feel that a lot of the scariness of coming back to campus is gone.”