The return of senior privileges restores a sense of normalcy

By Nora James Eikner

​Art by Ellis Rougeou

Stand back, Class of 2021. There’s a new sheriff in town. In just a couple weeks, when the dust settles on graduation and exams, there will be a new class of seniors heading up the school. Along with that power comes great responsibility, but more importantly comes one thing: senior privileges.

There’s certainly been a lot of build-up over the years about senior privileges at St. Mary’s. As a school based in tradition, it’s easy to look forward to certain privileges that we see from afar year after year. And especially after a crazy COVID year of disappointment and uncertainty, seniors are more ready than ever to go back to tradition.

The rising seniors are eager to take their place on top in the fall and finally take advantage of these long-awaited powers. “I’m looking forward to being able to leave for lunch to be able to get Chick-fil-a during the school day,” said Lila Ruhland (11). Kai Keith (11) said, “Parking in the senior lot will be such an upgrade from the junior lot because that trek across the field hits different when you’re running on 4 hours of sleep at 7:30 in the morning.” 

But all this excitement seems to have been cut short by the villain in every story nowadays: COVID. Rachel Beem (12), who saw these privileges firsthand in the past year, said, “I feel like there are some things I wish we could have done, but we didn’t.” Though that comes with the territory of a worldwide pandemic, the graduating seniors are thankful for things that were able to be done later in the year, like Derby Day and the Black Friday sleepover. 

Even little things like the specially colored polo shirt and college sweatshirts have meant the world to seniors. Beem said, “We got to go out to lunch on not-rainy days. That was fun!” 

Hopefully next year we’ll have some return to normalcy to be able to pick back up with the senior traditions St. Mary’s has held for ages. As Maeve Karnes (11) said, “I think [I’m most looking forward to] just seniority in general. I thought seniors were so cool and I can’t believe we’re almost there. Also the senior den, because that’s just cool.”