Senior Week (also known as Beach Week, Senior Trip, or Grad Week) is a week where recently graduated

high school A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...

and

college A college (Latin: ''collegium'') is an educational institution or a constituent part of one. A college may be a degree-awarding tertiary educational institution, a part of a collegiate or federal university, an institution offerin ...

seniors in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

, mainly from the East Coast and the

South South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþa ...

go to the

beach A beach is a landform alongside a body of water which consists of loose particles. The particles composing a beach are typically made from rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles, etc., or biological sources, such as mollusc s ...

to spend time with their friends. It primarily happens in June, when most of the seniors graduate. The week varies depending on different schools, and school districts, but people still flock for the bulk of the month.

Description

During Senior Week, recently graduated

and

seniors go to the

to spend time with their friends. This observance typically occurs during the last half of May and most of June. During Senior Week, the graduates rent condos, beach houses or hotel rooms and enjoy each other's company. Graduates often party and participate in various beachside activities during Senior Week. Some popular Senior Week destinations include

Dewey Beach, Delaware Dewey Beach is an incorporated coastal town in eastern Sussex County, Delaware, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the town is 341, an increase of 13.3% over the previous decade. It is part of the rapidly growing Cape ...

;

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Myrtle Beach is a resort city on the east coast of the United States in Horry County, South Carolina. It is located in the center of a long and continuous stretch of beach known as "The Grand Strand" in the northeastern part of the state. Its ...

; Outer Banks, North Carolina;

Ocean City, Maryland Ocean City, officially the Town of Ocean City, is an Atlantic resort town in Worcester County, Maryland along the East Coast of the United States. The population was 6,844 at the 2020 U.S. census, although during summer weekends the city hosts b ...

;

Panama City Beach, Florida Panama City Beach is a resort town in Bay County, Florida, United States, on the Gulf of Mexico coast. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 12,018. The city is often referred to under the umbrella term of "Panama City". Panama City Bea ...

;

Virginia Beach, Virginia Virginia Beach is an independent city located on the southeastern coast of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. The population was 459,470 at the 2020 census. Although mostly suburban in character, it is the most populous city ...

; and

Wildwood, New Jersey Wildwood is a city in Cape May County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is part of the Ocean City metropolitan statistical area and is a popular summer resort destination along the Jersey Shore. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the city's year-r ...

. Ocean City, Maryland has several events catered to Senior Week which include Play it Safe, the Ocean City Car Show, & Dew Tour. Graduates are able to ride the bus free during senior week if they are to participate in any of the Ocean City-run Play it Safe events which include volleyball, miniature golf, paintballing, and karaoke. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina has become one of the most popular locations for recent graduates to visit in May and June. Many students participate in the Myrtlemaniac Card club and entertainment program which includes a series of themed events, a concert, and discounts on transportation, food and other activities.

Controversy

During Senior Week, some of the recently graduated high school students participate in illegal activities such as underage drinking, breaking local curfews, and causing excessive noise. Many beach towns have taken various steps to combat the illegal aspects of Senior Week, such as increasing the number of police officers on patrol to write tickets and arrest people for illegal activities. In Wildwood, New Jersey, a "Rowdy House" ordinance was implemented in 2010 where homeowners would receive a warning if the police are repeatedly called to the house for underage drinking or excessive noise. Following the warning, property owners can receive a fine of up to $1,000 and could lose their mercantile licenses. In Ocean City, Maryland, the Play it Safe program run by the town helps discourage the graduates from participating in illegal activities. In Dewey Beach, Delaware, officers from the police department travel to schools in the spring to remind students that underage drinking will not be tolerated in the town; this action has led to the decline of Dewey Beach as a Senior Week destination.

In popular culture

The film '' The Graduates'' is about a group of high school graduates from Maryland who go to Ocean City, Maryland for Senior Week.

References

{{U.S. Holidays June observances Unofficial observances Student culture in the United States Types of tourism Week-long events

Description

Controversy

In popular culture

See also

References