A sea of college hoodies, military uniforms and trade school insignia filled the cafeteria during lunch on Decision Day, May 1. After years of late-night studying and stressful college application deadlines, Decision Day marked the end of the college decision process. Only weeks away from graduation and the start of new adventures, some graduates will attend college, while others will enter the armed forces or go directly to professional careers. 

National College Decision Day is the deadline for high school seniors to commit to college, university or a postsecondary pathway. Seniors celebrate by wearing college gear, submitting final deposits and notifying schools of their enrollment decisions. According to PubMed Central, the mix of apparel encourages a sense of unity and school pride. 

Students committed to a university education typically wear college hoodies to show school spirit for their future institution. JROTC cadets and the newly enlisted students entering the armed forces wear military uniforms to symbolize their service. Seniors wearing trade school insignia represent those who are pursuing specialized vocational training. This is often represented by symbols such as gears for industry and technical skill. This creates a celebratory atmosphere as seniors mark their transition from high school to careers or higher education. 

In celebration of seniors, school administration and Student Senate members hosted a Decision Day table during lunch. The tables featured candy, college merchandise and themed decorations. Music played throughout the cafeteria from a speaker provided by staff, featuring a curated playlist. The Introduction to Teaching class assisted with constructing the black and gold balloon arch, while the counselors and administration constructed the backdrop. Student Senate members assisted with the setup, cleanup and decorating. 

A photobooth was set up to the side of the tables where photographers from Panther Prints captured students’ photos. Seniors had the option to hold a flag representing their college or write their future plans with dry erase markers. The event marked the end of a long and potentially stressful application process by celebrating the next chapter of each senior’s life. Students had the opportunity to showcase their future plans. The photobooth was a way to capture memories and mark the momentous milestone. 

Photos from the event have been compiled into a shared google drive folder accessible through the provided link.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1kIhzRbzFgO-t0p7N10d_flcspvuFcR5U?usp=sharing