Excitement, stress, and nostalgia are just a few of the emotions our seniors feel. While underclassmen focus on grades and schedules, seniors try to make the most of their time by creating memories with the people who have made their high school career special. Malani feels as though, “During my sophomore year, I started to learn more about socializing and being a part of a community, and I found a big one”. Being a part of a community is a big part of high school. Being comfortable and having people in your circle will make you come out of your shell.
Malani’s favorite thing about her senior year was Senior Ditch Day.
Malani has a word of advice she would tell her younger self, “People really don’t care about how you look or what you wear, be yourself and stay true to yourself”. It’s all a journey, and everybody looks a bit different; some could be more complex than others, but either way, life is a journey that everyone has to take. It’s not really about skipping school; it’s about realizing they don’t have much time together. Seniors spend four years finally waiting to graduate, and when the time comes, it feels different. Malani learned throughout her years of high school that, “I actually like being alone sometimes, I’m quieter than people think”. Being quiet throughout high school is never a bad thing and shouldn’t be described as such. She will miss her friends most of all because of the memories they made and how much fun they had together. Good friends always make your high school years more special. I interviewed 2 of Malani’s friends and asked them how they view her and what they think of her. Chloe Wise would describe Malani as “Loud, outgoing, and overly funny without even trying”. It seems Malani is a blast to be around and always puts people in a good mood. Another good friend of hers, Justin Renfro, stated, “She is very playful and down for random plans that I have us do no matter what”. If you were to ask any of her friends, they would always have something kind and funny to say about her. Malani is planning to attend North Carolina Central University because she loves how culturally diverse it is and feels like it’s somewhere she belongs.
Some tips and tricks that she gives the next seniors are don’t let senioritis get to you, because it will make it hard. Senior year isn’t just about parties and events. It’s figuring out who you are and who you are becoming, and that’s the most important thing.
