Masuk Free Press

Senior Night is seen as the highlight of your senior season, a special moment to honor and celebrate the seniors who have poured their hearts into their activity and sport. The flowers, the cheers, the speeches, it all seems perfect, but there’s more to the story. Is Senior Night truly a deserved celebration or has it become an overrated tradition?

Senior Night is a significant time for seniors to be celebrated; they’ve worked hard and have been looking forward to this moment since they were freshmen. It’s a night that’s supposed to recognize their dedication: the time they’ve put into practices, the memories they’ve made with teammates, and the growth they’ve experienced over the years. For many, it’s more than just a ceremony; it’s the closing chapter of something greater. 

The weeks leading up to Senior Night can be filled with stress, decorations, speeches, planning gifts, and making sure everything is perfect. For juniors, the ones who usually take charge of organizing, it can be overwhelming. They’re balancing their own responsibilities while trying to make the night special for the seniors. Sometimes they feel underappreciated or even frustrated when their hard work goes unnoticed. Jacqui Silkman, a junior who helped plan Senior Night for Masuk Girls Volleyball, says, “They definitely have high expectations, and when they don’t get met, the seniors could get upset.” Everyone wants Senior Night to be special, the seniors, because it’s their moment, but also the juniors, as they want to give their teammates the recognition they deserve. However, this can sometimes lead to stress and disappointment. Eve Fernandez, who is helping plan the Masuk Girls Hockey Senior Night, says, “I had to chase many teammates down for the money for Senior Night, and it’s really frustrating.” This part of the process often gets overlooked, but it can be one of the most stressful responsibilities for those organizing Senior Night. Collecting money for gifts, flowers, and decorations sounds simple, but in reality, it takes a lot of patience and communication. When teammates don’t pay or wait until the last minute, it puts extra pressure on the people trying to make the night happen. All in all, many of the juniors who help plan Senior Night do believe that it is deserved, but they also see the hardships and many responsibilities that other people don’t see. It can get very stressful, and that could make it overrated in some opinions. 

From the seniors’ point of view, Senior Night can be both exciting and emotional. After years of hard work, long practices, and countless games, this night feels super special, a moment to look back and realize how far they’ve come. Lily Yerrington, a senior on the Masuk Girls Volleyball team, said, “It’s such a special feeling knowing everything you’ve worked for is being recognized. You wait four years for this night, so it means a lot when your teammates make it special.” It’s not just about the decorations or the gifts; it’s about the memories, friendships, and the end of a journey that seniors have dedicated so much time to. 

Justin DeMarco, a senior from the Masuk Boys Soccer team, said, “It’s just a tradition, Seniors get celebrated and the juniors, sophomores, and freshmen plan it.” These moments show that even though Senior Night could sometimes feel overhyped to others, for the seniors, it’s deeply personal. It’s a chance to celebrate everything they’ve accomplished from freshmen to seniors. How much they have dedicated so much time to a sport that they love. 

In the end, Senior Night can be both a little overrated and deserved at the same time. For the juniors, it’s a lot of work and pressure to make everything come together just for one night. For the seniors, it’s an emotional night that reminds them how much they’ve grown and how close they are to the end of their season, and their high school experience. Some people might feel like it’s made into a bigger deal than it needs to be, while others see it as a celebration of everything they’ve put into their sport. Either way, Senior Night is a moment every senior will remember, whether for the stress behind the scenes or the memories made.