For senior Holly McLenithan, a new anklet ranks at the top of her spring break souvenir must-haves.

“If anything, I’ll get an anklet [this spring break] because it’s something I’ve done since I was little,” Holly said. “I get my anklet on spring break, and then I wear it through the rest of the summer. I love the little rope anklets, so I’ll definitely get one of those and continue my tradition.”

For senior Joe Murdock, he is sure to return to Michigan with a cowboy sombrero.

“I need a new cowboy hat,” Joe said. “My old one got a little torn and ripped, so I’m going to get one of those.”

And for senior Olivia Dewald-Davis, she may even surprise everyone with her first tattoo.

“I would literally get a tattoo in Marco if we find a good tattoo shop,” Olivia said, “so we’ll see if I come back with a tattoo. I probably wouldn’t get a [detailed one] in Marco just because it would be last minute, and I can’t plan it. Maybe [I’ll get] a fun little heart somewhere.”

No matter the specific souvenir that each senior purchases, they will all bring back one thing in common: a multitude of magnificent memories.

Senior spring break is a week heavily anticipated by every senior. It provides the opportunity for new adventures and most importantly, a chance to connect with friends.

Tagging along with her companions, Olivia is joining the flock flying—or in her case driving—south to the popular destination of Florida. At Marco Island, she’s looking forward to a relaxed and spontaneous vacation; Olivia is up for anything as long as she’s surrounded by warm weather and the joys of friendship.

“I feel like I’ve been super busy lately,” Olivia said, “so I haven’t been able to hang out with [my friends]. I’m excited to spend time with them.”

In comparison to the last two years of the pandemic, the seniors have been barraged with an influx of activities crammed into the end of the school year. This break is certainly welcomed with open arms as it also opens time for relaxation away from the stress of everyday life.

Trapped inside working on college applications, the seniors have rarely had the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors. Like Olivia, Holly is eager to escape the unpredictable weather patterns of Michigan and soak up the sun of southern regions.

“[I’m excited to] lay on the beach,” Holly said. “I am a very sun-driven person. I love the feeling of it hitting my skin and feeling it soak in. I don’t care where I am or what I am doing, I just need to be outside constantly.”

This year, nearly half the senior class decided to go to the same spring break destination: Cancún, Mexico. This location is perfect for all their vacation desires. They began planning the trip in the fall, all going through the same travel agent to assure that they’ll all be together.

For Holly, she’ll have the freedom to explore the resort along with her friend senior Grace Hudkins and other members from the Class of 2022. Without the piles of tasks that prevent the joys of being a teenager, all of the seniors will have some pressure lifted off their shoulders.

“I just need to let my shoulders down,” Holly said. “I feel like I’ve had my shoulders up to my ears since the fall, and I think spring break will just be a chance for us, as a class, to just roll our shoulders back, take a deep breath, and know that it’s all going to be okay. Right now, we are starting our fun. That’s not going to end until August, so let’s start it right. Let’s let loose, relax a little bit, and have fun.”

Even though some have walked together in the hallways of FHC for the past 13 years, this might be the first opportunity to experience each other throughout all hours of the day. Suddenly, they’ll be faced with the morning, afternoon, and nighttime versions of each other all at once.

“The first day, I think it’ll be weird seeing everyone walk around kind of in their own element,” Holly said, “but I think we’ll get used to it. If anything, it’ll bring us closer together because when you’re spending more than just 7:00-2:00 with people, you get to see all the elements of their personality: the tired, the hungry, all that stuff, and I think that’s the most fun part of a person. I’m excited to get to know my class in that way.”

Joining Holly in the Cancún senior extravaganza, Joe is looking forward to his first time traveling outside the country. Of course, Joe will enjoy the beach and an occasional game of Euchre, but he also has a variety of exciting excursions planned from fishing tours to zip-lining.

“I’ve actually never been out of the country,” Joe said, “so this will be a new experience. I had to go through and get my passport. It’ll be fun. I’ve never zipped-lined, cliff jumped, or any of that stuff, so I’m excited.”

Beyond the adventures to come for Joe and his friends, he’s excited for spring break to be the beginning of the end—the first step in the events leading to graduation from The Sports Report award show to Prom.

“Being a senior, [spring break] kind of wraps up the year,” Joe said. “You get back, and we’ve got some sports stuff left, and then other than that, it’s a lot of just graduation parties, baccalaureate, and all that stuff. It’s one good week to relax and let loose a little bit before we come back and have a lot of stuff to get done before we all leave for college.”

These final weeks of high school will certainly be an emotional experience for many, and it is without a doubt that the seniors will make the most of every moment during the week they have together. With zip-lining, warm weather, friends, and simple relaxation, spring break will provide one last hurrah before everyone goes their separate ways.

“It’s gonna be like a final farewell to the entire class,” Joe said. “Obviously, we have some stuff coming back to look forward to, but it’s going to be one last time where we’re all together in the same destination for one week. Hopefully, we can create some lifelong bonds and some lifelong memories.”