By Kayla Elder
As the school year comes to an end, the Class of 2024 has watched the Class of 2023 enjoy senior activities, has watched them graduate, and has begun to wrap up their junior year, all with excitement for the upcoming fall the Class of 2024 has looked up to seniors since they were freshman, and, now, they are finally getting the opportunity to live out this experience.
Robert Hardy ‘24 and many others gave unique insights into their views on becoming seniors, the activities they are looking forward to, and how prepared they are feeling going into senior year.
“I believe that it’s a surreal experience,” Hardy said. “Now that the seniors are gone, we just finally got the senior lot to ourselves and next thing you know college is the next up. So, I’m really just trying to enjoy senior year with my friends while I have them and make the best bonds as possible. So, I’m kind of nervous but ready.”
Hardy also shared one particular thing he awaits with anticipation. .
“Another thing that I am looking forward to [is] all of the senior nights because that is our class, I feel like we will really be able to represent,” Hardy said.
Hannah Swindell ‘24, who is a basketball cheerleader, shared her feelings as well.
“I have mixed emotions on it,” Swindell said. “Like I’m excited but I’m also scared because then I’m closer to graduating and going to college.”
Lauryn Loften ‘24, a good friend of Swindell, paralleled Swindell.
“I’m looking forward to learning more about myself and since I’m taking multiple sciences, seeing if science is really for me and making up my mind on what I want to do in the future,” Loften said.
Loften not only gave insight into what she is looking forward to, but she also reflected on junior year and how it has prepared her to be a senior.
“I think that junior year allowed me to take more advanced classes and really get to see what classes I like and which classes would prepare me for what I want to take in college, like for my major,” Loften said. “I think that also comes with going through all four years of high school, like you start to know what subjects you like more and junior year gives you the ability to double up on classes that you like. For example, if you like science, you can double up in sciences and so on and so forth.”
Loften was not the only one who got a lot of preparation from junior year. Hardy shared his view as well.
“Junior year prepared me for a higher level of learning because I was preparing for the ACT, taking higher level of difficulty classes, and trying to become more involved for my resume,” Hardy said. “But, I feel like that allowed me for an easier transition to senior year because it prompted me for those higher level learning classes and got me more involved in student life [on] campus.”
All in all, the Class of 2024 is grateful for the past experiences that Woodward and junior year has given them. Many are excited and looking forward to adding more in their journeys.
“Honestly, I am very ready,” Loften said. “I think that Woodward has prepared me enough since I’ve been going here and honestly I’m just ready to go to college and start my own independent journey.”
