Some within Barstow’s 2023 senior class have not reacted well to seniors having to earn Senior Privileges this year. These freedoms include (but are not limited to), leaving campus during free periods, leaving during lunch, and the senior’s special lunch line.
Fortunately, the seniors-only lunch line made its reappearance early in the year, giving seniors the ability to bypass at least half of the underclassmen who are waiting in the regular lunch line. As of late September, seniors had earned back the rest of their privileges as well. Some seniors, however, are still reeling from the unexpected disappointment of not being able to leave campus.
Despite earning some of these privileges back, some seniors are still disappointed by the process.
“I am beyond flabbergasted,” says Anita Mohan (‘23). “We already don’t have a senior lounge anymore. A lot of the stuff we used to be able to do, we can’t do anymore, so it feels a lot more strict. The senior pranks that used to happen, somebody mucked it up.”
The “muck-up” in question was caused by a pre-COVID class of seniors. A few decided to get on the roof, and throw water balloons at some of the elementary school students.
As early as the first class and college counseling meeting, students were informed by class deans that in order to receive the full spectrum of senior privileges, a large portion of the class must submit their yearbook photos, quotes, and adjectives. This was met with widespread backlash, as many believe that Senior Privileges are not a reward, and instead, are a right, possibly since many have misconceptions about previous classes.
“It’s kind of just being leveraged against us,” said Mohan. “It’s just difficult as a senior, knowing that there was something you were supposed to have, and then you don’t have it.”
At some public and other private schools in the area, the privileges that come with being a senior are automatically bestowed upon all students. These schools allow for students of any grade to freely come and go from the campus, at any time outside of class. Additionally because students can leave for lunch, there is little to no traffic in the cafeteria line, making a Senior lunch line moot.
Should Barstow follow suit? Some Barstow seniors say no.
“I don’t think so, because especially at the beginning of the year attendance to school meetings is crucial to the college application process,” said Charlie Hisle (‘23). “If we don’t incentivize seniors to do their duties before privileges, it’s hard to get them to do it at all.”
Caroline Fry, a 2022 graduate, describes her experience with Senior privileges, “I was able to leave campus. I had the senior line, senior parking, and seniors were allowed to yell at people for parking in their spots, so I guess that was a privilege.” Fry doesn’t remember when exactly Senior privileges were given. Likely, they were not given automatically, since last year’s seniors also were held to the same requirements, such as turning in senior photos. This begs the question; is all of this outrage for no reason?
