With the year coming to a close, finals are on the minds of students. For many, these exams determine a pass or fail but for the senior class, they mark the end of high school.

The senior finals begin a week early in order to open up time for their trip to Southern California, their last venture together as a class.

For Martin Moreno, end of the year finals hold weight for his overall grades. According to Moreno, he also believes they summarize the effort put in from kindergarten to twelfth grade.

“Well for me, they’re [finals] a big deal just because my grades are kind of on the edge right now, so they could determine whether I pass or not,” Moreno said. “Plus, they’re the last tests we’re going to take in high school, so I kind of want to do well on them and finish strong.”

Fellow senior Katelyn Miller feels the stress of the year winding down and is ready to focus solely on moving past finals week.

“I’m kind of dreading it actually because there are so many things packed into the end of the year,” Miller said. “I’ve been wanting to get it over with and get it done. I’m not really excited and haven’t really thought of it as my last part of high school, I just want to get it over with.”

To finish out their high school experience, the senior class will journey to Southern California where they will spend time at Disneyland, the beach and an Angels game, before their graduation on May 24. For the graduates, the trip marks the final stretch of memories together and a bittersweet conclusion to their high school careers.

According to Brahamjit Randhawa, he anticipates the trip to be enjoyable, especially since he has established friendships since first coming to FC at the beginning of the year.

“The thing I am excited most about would be spending time with the seniors,” Brahamjit said. “When I first came, I remember how we went to senior retreat and that it was really fun but I didn’t really know anyone. It will be interesting to compare that to the now because I’m friends with everyone, so I guess I’m excited to just be able to see where I came from at the beginning of the year.”

After all the effort dedicated to schoolwork, Mitch Weibert is looking forward to being recognized at graduation. He aims to cherish the final weeks with his long time friends.

“Senior trip will be very meaningful,” Weibert said. “Senior trip will be the last memories I am going to have with these people I’ve experienced so much with. Also, I can’t wait for graduation because it will be a night where all the hard work can be appreciated, and also the first step too a bright future.”

Though the end of senior year brings nostalgic feelings, Celeste Camacho views the last weeks as a stepping stone to a new stage of life.

“Senior trip is really the last time our class will do an activity together,” Camacho said. “It’s definitely sad that this will be our last bonding experience but I’m looking forward to graduation because I’m ready to get out of high school and start living life. It’s a ceremony that crosses us over into a new threshold of life.”

For more information about the senior class, read the Aug. 29 article, Retreat enriches senior fellowship. For more briefs, read the May 9 article, BRIEF: Senior finals schedule.