Seniors take sail
A run-down on a senior privilege and tradition: senior cruise.
Senior year: the year to do it all before high school is over forever. There are some must-do traditions at SMCHS that the graduating class always looks forward to: senior prom, Kairos, ditch days, the faculty/student basketball game, grad night and, of course, senior cruise.
Taking students on a night aboard a three-story yacht for some serious class fun has been a long standing tradition at SMCHS.
“To my knowledge Santa Margarita has had a senior cruise for many years,” said Sammer Darwazeh, director of activities. “It has always been a fun event that seniors always look forward to.”
This year, the cruise took place on Nov. 6 at the Newport Harbor. The yacht was fully equipped with a dance floor, dinning, karaoke and a viewing deck.
“The top of the boat is like an observation deck that is open air,” Darwazeh said. “You can go to the top and kind of hang out and look at the water and all of the houses.”
The yacht’s observation deck was lit with hanging lights and was a popular spot for students to get some fresh air. But, the seniors love their fun, so the dance floor and karaoke lounge were also jam-packed throughout the night.
“I was actually so surprised at how awesome it was,” said senior Noelle Kendall. “The boat was so nice and the music was good. The karaoke and food was the icing on the cake.”
A Mexican dinner was served, the drinks were unlimited and the desserts were freshly baked.
“I love tacos, so I thought the food was delicious,” said senior Delaney Rosenthal.
Many students said that karaoke was their favorite part. At the end of the night, watching seniors sing songs according to their costume became a popular event: Alex Granito, dressed as The Phantom of the Opera, sang “The Phantom of the Opera”; Keli Arent, dressed as a mime, sang “Fabulous”; and Cole Bowen, dressed as his alter ego, sang “Wake Me Up When September Ends.”
“It was a great bonding activity for our grade and everyone who sang was super funny,” said senior Bella Bendix.
The recommended dress for senior cruise is costumes, and this year’s seniors did not disappoint to dress with extensive character.
“[Students] can expect to see some pretty cool costumes,” Darwazeh said. “We have had some pretty epic costumes in the past. People get very creative.”
Many students chose to dress as a themed group with friends.
“I dressed up as a turkey because my friends and I were the first Thanksgiving,” Rosenthal said. “Two of my friends were pilgrims and my other friend was an Indian.”
A Jamaican bobsled team, Duck Dynasty, Forrest Gump and The Blue Man Group were just a few of the diverse costumes seen on board. The cheer team, dressed up as avatars, was a fan-favorite.
“I thought the avatars were awesome,” Kendall said. “Their makeup was so realistic, like seriously go them.”
In the end, the reason the night came together is because of the people on board.
“We were all together as a class and I realized how close we have gotten over these past four years,” Kendall said.
Activities such as senior cruise are ways for the senior class to bond before everyone goes their separate ways.
“There are a lot of activities ASB has provided to get involved in school that I recommend,” Darwazeh said. “Just do as much as you can, focus on your studies and don’t pass up an opportunity. Don’t think, ‘I’ll do it tomorrow.’ Do it today. Get it done and make the most of it because it will be over before you know it.”
