After twelve years of tests, homework, and waking up way too early, the time has come for us 2026 seniors to do our part in carrying the legacy that is senior traditions. Here are the top ten ways to make the most of senior year!
1. Senior Backpacks
The start of school is a student’s worst nightmare and a dream come true for many parents. However, back-to-school shopping seems to have the opposite effect. Since kindergarten, we have picked out the backpacks that capture our personalities and interests. Between Sofia the First, Dora the Explorer, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Spider-Man, our backpacks are the first thing people notice about us when they walk behind us in the hallways. This cute trend will bring us back full circle and will leave our parents reminiscing about our first ever first day of school to our last.
2. Senior Jeans
What better way to show off your senior status than to literally wear it? Senior jeans have been a tradition since the early 1900s when they were called “senior cords.” Needless to say, this trend has been a long-standing tradition and a great way to wear your senior title like a badge of honor. Grab your paint and your paintbrushes and get to work customizing your senior jeans.
3. Senior Sundays
Whether it’s your parents or yourself, Senior Sundays are a cute way to not only remind the world that you are, in fact, a senior, but also a way for your parents to embarrass you by posting your baby pictures on Facebook. Looking through social media each week to see each of your fellow classmates’ parents posting pictures of rambunctious toddlers, funny kindergarteners, and moody middle schoolers will really solidify your upperclassman status and maybe pop your bubble of denial. It’s a great way to count down to the day we cross that stage.
4. Senior Pictures
Senior pictures are the best way to fully express who you are to symbolize your final year of high school. Whether you play an instrument, love to paint, or play sports, it’s so easy to incorporate your hobbies into an adorable photoshoot. These pictures will also come in handy when creating any online portfolios or graduation invitations.
5. Senior Sunglasses
Similar to the jeans, this cute accessory will be perfect for football games, pep rallies, and any other school event. It’s a great way to get together with your friends and decorate your sunglasses. It’s a cheap, but adorable trend. You will have so much fun making and wearing them!
6. Senior Sunrise/Sunset
This tradition is such a great way to start and end your senior year. Sitting next to your friends and watching the sun come up, representing the start of the year, to watching it go down. You can make a poster, take pictures, and post all about this awesome tradition.
7. Prom
We all know about prom, we wait for the day it’s our turn to go from the moment we walk through the doors for our freshman year. However, if you were thinking about missing out because it’s just like every other school dance (sweaty, gross, and exhausting,) I’m here to convince you otherwise. This dance is our final one in high school, and it’s specifically for our class. You won’t have everyone in school crammed into the gym, so it won’t feel as claustrophobic. You don’t want to miss out and your parents will want the pictures, so go make the most of it!
8. Senior Quotes
Whether it’s funny, inspirational, or an inside joke, our senior quotes are the best way to caption our yearbook photos. It’ll be so fun to look back and see everyone’s quotes and laugh at all of the hilarious memories that come with them. It’s another great way to showcase your personality and have it captured forever.
9. Baccalaureate
This bittersweet event will leave you feeling a little more prepared for our lives after high school. From inspirational speakers to sweet songs, the event will fill you with a little more confidence to guide you through the difficult transition from high school to college and adulthood.
10. College and Career Decision Day
Finally, the day we all get to wear our new school colors and share our accomplishments with our fellow classmates. Picking a college or career isn’t an easy decision, and the application process can be even harder. So what better way to celebrate than a day for everyone to get together and cheer each other on?
