Procrastinating seniors are easy to spot when you wait until the last minute

Senior Lizzy Petitt stands out in her class full of freshmen.

Jake Festenstein

Senior Lizzy Petitt stands out in her class full of freshmen.

Senior year is different for everyone academically. Many students might try to take what they believe are “easy classes” to achieve what they consider as an “easy senior year,” but some choose to take a multitude AP classes to help prepare for college. In the midst of deciding which classes to take senior year, some tend to find a late graduation requirement lingering on their last schedule. Both types of students may agree on one thing, however: procrastination to fulfill graduation requirements is the worst. “Graduation requirements can be a pain, especially if you do not keep track,” said senior Lizzy Petitt. To graduate from BG, most know the basic academic requirements which include four years of English, three years of mathematics, two years of science and other standard core classes. But seniors tend to forget about the miscellaneous classes. These classes include a consumer education course, drivers education, world language/CTE and physical education. Add it all up and 21 credits will get you through BG’s doors with a cap and gown. “I think from the start of freshman year it is so important to know which classes are required,” Petitt said. “The quicker they get done, the more time there is to relax and be a senior.” Once a senior has found a way to procrastinate until senior year, things can begin to get a little hectic. Counselors also find themselves in a rush to get students into that certain class. To avoid the dreadful summer school courses or even worse, another senior year. “Sometimes, students forget a bout the Consumer Education requirement, or think that they took a class that counted for it and it didn’t,” Guidance Counselor Brian Linhart said. “And then we scramble to try to fit Personal Finance or Law and the Individual into one of their semesters.” Some advice to you youngins, get your necessary classes done as soon as possible. This will help prevent you from being the only senior in a class full of freshmen. Getting the requirements done early gives students the advantage to select the courses you want to take senior year, such as courses that will help you before college. Some seniors learned this too late and are unfortunately spending their senior year in underclassman courses. Nobody would like to be the awkward senior sitting in a class full of freshman and sophomores. “I’m one of the only upperclassman in my Spanish Two course this year,” senior Molly Frey said. “I definitely should’ve taken advantage and taken it much earlier in my high school career.” Unless school in the summer or an extra year of high school seems exciting to you,, remember to keep up with your counselor regarding courses that you need to graduate. Its important that seniors do not wait last minute until they happen to be sitting in Personal Finance in their last semester ever. “Getting these requirements done is a load off your back, and the excitement for graduation becomes even more real,” Petitt said.