For most students, when they open their mail box and find the memo that reads, “Upcoming School Pictures,” their stomachs begin to turn a little. Most of us despise the day. It’s not just a quick-pic and smile, oh no. Generally acknowledged, the term ‘school pictures’ means waking up earlier to choose the best outfit, perfecting our appearances, and praying that our bed-heads can be controlled. When thought about, this picture goes in the annual everyone receives at the end of the year–the very picture to be remembered by, when we all would take a look back.
The weight gets even heavier when you become a senior, because you now have to think about senior pictures and that very much, formal, class photo board that would soon add to the walls of the school. Senior Pictures are an all day ordeal for boys and girls, and being, a senior myself, I got to experience it wholesomely.
The yearbook staff spends their entire day in the library, helping set up equipment and scenes for the photographers and students to come. Boys and girls alike, first take a series of casual pictures, then prepare for the formal wall photo and mock-cap and gown pictures. For the boys, it’s a dapper, mock-suit drape, that has been reused for years. As for the girls, with mirrors set up all around, they wear a velvet, off the shoulder drape, that creates the illusion of a very formal dress or shawl. Most of the students aren’t a fan, but abide nonetheless.
Erin Chapman, a senior girl this year believes the outfits to be outdated.
“I think it’s time for a change in how the formal pictures are taken; we should upgrade to our own formal attire,” Chapman said.
But, for most, the mindset is all about tradition and photographers want everyone to look alike and uniform.
After a day full of picture-taking, most students were overall, pleased with what they hope their picture turn outs would be, and were just glad it was over with. As a senior, every routine school function is a last. This was the very last school picture day for the seniors, and for most of us, we weren’t sad to see it go one bit.
