By Emily Panameno

As an underclassman, the unknown of high school can often feel intimidating. From new classes to figuring out where exactly you fit in, high school can feel like a constant battle of cliques and judgement everywhere you go. But when you meet someone who’s already been in your shoes, that sense of guidance can mean everything. For many of us, that person is a senior.
Senior friendships are valuable, yet are often taken for granted. Whether you meet them in a shared class, club, or even through mutual friends, these friendships build from a simple conversation into a special bond that quietly becomes part of your daily life.
“I met my friend Rayanne Avalos at the beginning of the year in my AP Environmental Science class,” junior James Melendez said. “We all sat at the same table and it was so easy to become friends with her.”

What started as something casual can quickly turn into something meaningful. These friendships don’t always begin in big, memorable ways, but their impact builds over time.
For many of us, seniors become more than just friends, they act as mentors who offer advice and support when high school gets overwhelming. And although they may not realize it, the advice these older friends give us and the moments we share help guide us into new chapters we might not have experienced otherwise.
“My friend Abby DiMattia is probably the person who knows a lot about me.” says junior Autumn Eleopoulos. “She helps me realize mistakes I’m making that I don’t even realize, gives me advice on how to improve, and most importantly is a friend I can talk about literally anything with.”

This kind of guidance is what makes senior friendships so impactful. It’s not just about having someone to talk to, it’s about having someone who helps you grow.

What makes these friendships so meaningful isn’t how often you may see each other but instead how much these friendships stay with you. From the shared laughs to the deepest conversations, these moments begin to shape your experience not only in high school but how you move in life.
“My friendship with Sophia Toplian is so meaningful to me because she’s like the big sister I’ve never had,” junior Emma Parra said. “I feel like because she’s older, it was a lot easier to form a bond and she’s helped me understand so much from building friendships, moving on from past relationships, and overall has become a huge role in my life.”
As graduation makes its quick approach, as underclassmen, we are beginning to experience our last high school memories with our senior friends, from our last exam study session to the last Starbucks they buy us with their lunch pass. Although our paths may go at different paces and our friendship might not look the same, the memories and the advice they gave will stick with us forever.
“Knowing that we have limited time together makes every moment with them more special,” junior Aiden Salcedo said. “We don’t know if we’re going to be able to see them in the future so it makes every new memory more sentimental.”

That awareness changes how we experience these friendships. What once felt routine now feels meaningful, simply because we know it won’t last forever.
As our time with them comes to an end, and their high school years soon become moments of the past, we will continue to make memories side by side, even if they look a little different.
“I hope they enjoy their time outside of high school,” junior Ailee Manset said. “I hope they go out more, and of course go out with us, but honestly continue to make more memories.”Even as paths begin to separate, there’s a shared hope that these connections won’t disappear, but continue to grow in new ways.
Our friendships with these seniors may not look the same as they once did, but their impact will remain. They stay with us, guiding us through our own high school journeys, just as those seniors once navigated theirs. And before we know it, we’ll be the ones offering that same guidance to someone else.