As a high school senior, I’ve spent the last four years experiencing a whirlwind of academic pressures, extracurricular commitments, and the constant question of what comes next. Amid all this chaos, one thing has always stood out to me: the traditions that make high school special. 

When I was younger, I imagined it was just like “High School Musical.” I could express myself and come together with my peers—decorating graduation caps, creating a garland of college plans and wearing cords to celebrate achievements. These rites of passage should mark the end of our high school experience. 

Yet, these traditions have increasingly been taken away in the name of reducing competition. While these changes are well-intentioned, they ultimately lead to a loss of individuality and sense of belonging. 

One tradition that should be preserved is the decorating of graduation caps. For many seniors, this is a chance to express their personality and pay tribute to the people or experiences that have helped and shaped them. It’s a creative outlet that allows students to show their unique perspectives rather than forcing conformity. Similarly, the college garland that used to be a tradition isn’t about bragging rights. It’s a visual representation of the hard work and aspirations of the entire class. These traditions foster unity rather than division. They aren’t about creating unhealthy competition but celebrating individuality and shared success. 

Critics of these traditions argue that they create unnecessary pressure or can highlight student disparities. But isn’t life inherently competitive? College admissions, scholarships and even job applications are all based on competition. By removing these traditions, we’re not protecting students from competition but denying them a well-earned opportunity to celebrate their achievements in a supportive environment. High school should be a time to learn how to navigate success and disappointments. Shielding students from reality by eliminating these traditions won’t lead to future success–it only lowers the bar and tells students to accept doing the bare minimum. 

For most, senior year represents the last time students will be surrounded by friends, family and teachers who have played important roles in their lives. Graduation traditions provide closure and a way to honor the past while embracing our different futures. 

The argument against graduation traditions ultimately falls short. While they may show some differences in achievement, they also honor the various paths taken by the senior class. Success isn’t one-size-fits-all, and that’s something that must be acknowledged. Instead of eliminating these traditions, we should celebrate them as reflections of individuality and shared experiences. So let’s keep the caps, the garlands and the cords. These traditions create moments of pride and a sense of community that make senior year truly special. Senior year isn’t just about preparing for the future–it’s about appreciating the journey that got us to this point.

I’ll say it— Clayton is an incredibly competitive environment. Grades are a huge point of stress for me and many other students. I’m no stranger to comparing my GPA or asking a friend to see if they got a higher score on a test than I did, but making comparisons like this can strain relationships when there is so much pressure to succeed. Clayton’s rigorous academic curriculum provides amazing student opportunities, but has one major downside: it can also veer towards being toxically competitive. It is important for teens to have healthy social lives, and pitting classmates against each other is no way to encourage friendships.  

The school’s unique approach to AP classes, only allowing them to be taken in junior and senior years, causes many ambitious students to take on a huge course load to boost their resumes. This results in skyrocketing stress levels among students, and if class rank were reintroduced, it would only motivate students to increase the difficulty of their workload. More schoolwork would undoubtedly worsen the issue of stress. After all the pressure that students endure, it often turns out that those who earn the top class ranks have virtually equal grades. It’s simply not fair to rank these outstanding individuals based on the smallest differences. 

It is beneficial that our school doesn’t post a class rank or have a valedictorian at graduation, since it promotes unnecessary competition that would damage student confidence and create a less welcoming environment. When students are met with such intense pressure to succeed, they might be less inclined to get involved in everything they are interested in for fear of not immediately excelling. Reducing the level of competition and comparing students’ experiences at school by eradicating class rank allows students to explore their interests and develop their identities with less concern about how these risks might affect their academic standing. No matter what rankings are removed, our school’s challenging curriculum will maintain the academic expectations necessary for students to succeed. Constant comparison only reinforces a subconscious hierarchy in which winning comes first and learning comes second. 

Students undergo astonishing personal and intellectual changes from freshman to senior year—transformations that don’t need to be diminished by trivial rewards and competition. Developing leadership skills, artistic and athletic talents, lasting interests and contributions to the community are just as valuable as academic growth. Yet, they are diminished by rankings, awards and traditions that fail to honor them.

Teaching students how to excel due to intrinsic motivation, not because they will receive praise or a prize, is also a key part of preparing students for life after graduation. The high school experience is about more than objective achievement, and should encourage genuine curiosity instead of incentivizing single-minded concentration on grades. When there is too much focus on class rank, grades, and college admissions, students will have fewer opportunities to celebrate their development as individuals outside of school. 

Graduation is a time to celebrate achievements, not to regret the fact that a better GPA could have been achieved if only that freshman math grade had been just a little bit higher. Graduation is a time to reflect on the high school experience, and some graduation traditions detract from this reflection by shifting focus away from students’ growth and onto material rewards. 

Although graduation traditions provide seniors with a fun opportunity, they might also encourage an overly competitive environment, diminish students’ non-academic achievements, and add to preexisting pressure on Clayton students.