The year is wrapping up, leaving seniors in the “Afterglow” of an exhilarating high school experience. As our Summit seniors move on to the next phase of life, they leave behind a symphony of experiences. Each chose a song that speaks to the journey of the past four years. Understanding our seniors’ experience offers insight to those of us still trudging through the long days, endless drama and challenges of high school.
“I’d have to say ‘Vienna’ by Billy Joel. It just feels like what every senior’s send off song would be,” said Carly Cameron.
The song evokes a strong sense of nostalgia. Joel expresses a feeling of longing to be “Young and Beautiful,” reminding the listener of the years they’ll leave behind in their hurry to grow up. It captures the exhaustion of rushing through life, when in practice we should cherish our time and not stress about tomorrow but appreciate the present. It reflects high school as a space between adulthood and childhood, that leaves the conflicting feeling of wanting to mature and stay young all at once.
While Vienna reminds you about the idealistic “Teenage Dream,” other songs capture the gut wrenching emotional roller coaster that is high school. For Ani Endries, the song “Prom Dress” by mxmtoon captures the highs and lows with a catchy chorus.
“She’s very introverted and honestly she’s kinda done with the high school drama and in moments I can relate to that feeling,” Endries said.
Overall the song focuses on the struggle of high school and relief of finally making it to the end. Its lyrics are heartfelt sadness but the rhythm is “Uptown Funk” with a teen pop beat making it feel like satire or dark humor. This is a combination many senior girls know “All Too Well” from a long four years of high school. Seniors have had their rough moments at Summit, probably more than they care to admit, but the hope of finishing their high school career is what keeps them pushing through. This is something the song highlights in its final verse.
Beyond the emotional struggle, there are the all out hilarious parts of high school. There are moments seniors barely survived or are too embarrassed to recount, making many students depict their experience in the song “High Way to Hell.” This song is something everyone who’s made it through high school can relate to, showing that the experiences of adolescent years can feel like “The End of the World as We Know It.”
Through the nostalgic, the stressful, and the all out apocalyptic, our Summit seniors have made it to the finish line. Each individual senior marches to the beat of their own drum and has conquered the minefield that is school. No one’s way was “Perfect,” no one took the expected path and, of course, it was one messy ride, but then again, no “Symphony” is created by the same music and no story the same song. Farewell to our senior class; let your music play on.
