“It feels like everything is moving really fast, and it’s crazy to think this is my last year of high school,” described Senior Randy Chen, a Hingham Public Schools student since fifth grade. Many members of the Class of 2026, like Randy, have mixed feelings about the return to school.
For nearly two-thirds of their lives, the senior class has associated this restart with entering a Hingham Public Schools building. However, this will mark the final year of this occurrence.
Seniors have been hard at work planning for their next phases of life after high school, whether that is attending a college or university, enrolling in the military, or another opportunity. Seniors’ reactions at this moment are definitely mixed; some are excited to be leaders of the High School, while others wish for an extra month of summer.
At Hingham High, seniors are granted some unique privileges: they can enter into the notorious close-lot parking raffle for a chance to avoid a five minute walk before and after school, can stand in the front of the student section at Friday night football games, and can get Senior Privilege, allowing them to come in late or leave early for an A or G-block study, respectively. Although far away, seniors can also look forward to ending school in mid-May, a few weeks earlier than their non-senior counterparts.
“I’m hopeful it’ll be a good year,” Chen continued. “I want to enjoy the moments with friends, stay on top of school, and make the most of the opportunities I get. At the same time, I know it’ll be stressful with college stuff.”
Seniors also take on more club leadership roles, planning and leading meetings. Senior Zak Robbins, president of the Arts Pathway Club, says he is excited to “take on more leadership roles in various clubs and activities.” These leadership roles are crucial for developing public speaking and presentational skills that will be vital in future endeavors.
Many seniors choose to have a “Senior Breakfast” on the first day of school, where a group of friends will all eat together at someone’s house. Seniors will be repping their new, bright red senior shirts featuring a 26 on the back.
The start of school is not all good news, though. Early wake-ups, often well before 7 AM, especially with morning club meetings, are commonplace. The workload will increase, resulting in many students laboring on homework late into the night. Combined with early wake-ups, achieving the desired eight hours of sleep is a nearly impossible task for many.
I myself am quite excited about this year. While the sleep and homework schedules will be challenging to maintain, I am now able to see the light at the end of the tunnel, the end result that makes it all worthwhile. “Senioritis” will, inevitably, kick in, especially once I know what school I will be attending. I have no doubt that although each day will pass slowly, the year will fly by, and it will be senior spring before we know it. I cannot wait for senior year to get underway in just a few days!
The Class of 2026 Graduation is on Saturday, May 30th, 2026. Mark your calendars!
