Following in the footsteps of last year’s senior class, the class of 2020 had its very own senior lock-in on August 23, 2019, allowing us to let loose and really appreciate the time we have left together. The night started with all of us gathering into the gym to eat some snacks, play on the fun jump, shoot some hoops, play volleyball, and just talk with our friends, getting ready for the night ahead. During this time, many of us gathered around the volleyball net to play the roughest game of volleyball Coach Jill has probably ever seen. Reverend Kennedy showed all of the students up with his impressive volleyball skills proving once again; the man really can do it all. While some people ate or continued to play basketball or volleyball, I gathered together some seniors in the bleachers to create a Tik Tok. It took a little while to get everyone in place and another hot minute for everyone to learn the dance, but eventually, we nailed the Tik Tok (if you would like to watch, it is posted on @marielissax on Tik Tok).

After goofing off for a little while, it was time to get down to business and play some classic PE games: Steal the Bacon, Mission Impossible, and Scrambled Eggs. Mr. Sorrell said that this was “a chance for seniors to be kids again before the pressure of college applications and graduation and life hits them.” For those of us who had attended the downtown campus, this was a major throwback to that time in which these games were your entire life. With many of the seniors having been at Ascension for most of their life, this brought back many memories of the shenanigans that went on during PE at the downtown campus. From Genevieve busting a light with a volleyball and almost being impaled by the glass to the time we all got in trouble for leaving muddy footprints all over the wall, this was a time of reminiscing. Steal the Bacon was slow to get going, having almost 40 kids on each team, getting bean bags was no easy task. Eventually, time was called and the team headed by Faith Robinson won by having more bean bags. We moved onto Mission Impossible where our skills of agility and balance were tested and eventually ended with a favorite game of the boys, Scrambled Eggs. The boys quickly aligned themselves with each other, mercilessly taking out the girls and the rest of the gym. After a while, time was called and no one was the winner, therefore, no one was able to establish their role as alpha over the grade. 

Eventually, the games came to an end and Mr. Sorrell said it was time for the seniors to go in a separate classroom and have our “senior talk.” Mr. Sorrell talked to us before leaving us alone and ever so bluntly reminded us that the end was near and we need to appreciate this time together as a group. Together we watched a senior slideshow where we shared old memories and laughed and talked about how different, or the same, we all looked. During our time alone, we talked about memories most of us forgot we had and learned new things about our peers. After a little more than an hour of talking, we moved to the main building for a game of hide and seek. Being able to run around the place that is usually crawling with teachers and students and go into classrooms unsupervised was a lot of fun. It felt like Coach Dardar was going to pop in at any moment and tell me to get where I was supposed to be. All in all, it was quite a thrilling and spooky event. After we finished a couple of rounds of hide and seek, the girls went back to the gym for sleep.

In the morning, we all gathered back together in the gym and ate donuts for breakfast before heading home. Before I left, I asked Mrs. Robert how she thought the Lock-In went and she said, “It was a great start for the seniors and they really seemed to enjoy being together and celebrating the senior year, and they love me and so I was there and it was all great.” All in all, I think it was a success and an amazing time. This night showed me how close we all are as a grade and proved to me just how hard leaving this place in 9 months is going to be. Even though we have our ups and downs as a grade, I wouldn’t trade these people for anything. I’ve grown up with them for the last 13 years and having one night where we could all be together is something that is really special and I hope every grade after us gets to continue to experience. I’m excited to keep making memories with these people and hope that we get to spend more time as a grade together in the upcoming months. Class of 2020, let’s make this year one to remember and have the time of our lives.