How seniors spend the dead week before graduation

By T’KEYAH JONES

Staff Writer

As we near the end of classes for the spring semester and begin studying for finals week, everyone is ready for a getaway.  Students, seniors in particular, will be looking forward to the week after finals, graduation week and all the excitement it will bring. During that week, seniors will go to the graduation ball and participate in commencement rehearsal before they finally get to walk across the stage at graduation.

However, the festivities for the graduating class of 2018 do not officially begin until Thursday, May 10. This time between the end of finals and graduation events is commonly referred to as “dead week” by students because campus is so quiet for most of it. So what do seniors do during the beginning of the week as they wait patiently for Thursday?

Seniors have about five days of free time to decompress and ease their minds after taking finals exams and moving out of their residences. Many hope to use this quick break to vacation and then be back in time to attend graduation ball. Some choose to stay at home and relax as well as using that opportunity to make plans with friends.

For seniors that aren’t commuters, finally being back home and sleeping in your own bed is all you need to put your mind at ease, but for some, taking a much needed mini-vacation is the answer.

After a spring break that was technically still in the winter, students haven’t really had the chance to vacation at many of the places they wanted to. A popular place for seniors looking for a relaxing time is the beach.

“Nine friends and I are going to Myrtle Beach,” said senior communication and digital studies major Alexis Ricks. She and her friends decided to rent a place to stay for when they finish finals. “We got a beach house off of Airbnb for Saturday through Wednesday, so we can be back in time for grad ball,” said Ricks.

Senior Purity Muthaa, an economics major, also has plans to vacation to South Carolina. “I’m going to North Myrtle for beach week from the fifth to the tenth,” said Muthaa.

Not all seniors are traveling to Myrtle Beach for beach week; some are finding other fun ways to enjoy themselves.

Senior Mallorie Harnish, a communication and digital studies major, plans on spending her time not far from the area.

“I’m going to Lake Anna with some friends for a few days,” said Harnish.

Lake Anna is almost an hour away from campus and has a lot of activities available.

“We’re going to go on my friend’s boat and go to restaurants and wineries down there,” said Harnish.

There are many different things seniors can do during the time. For a lot of seniors, the main reason for taking trips that week is to have a good time with friends. As this may be the last opportunity to spend time with some of the friends you have made throughout your years at UMW. So what better way to spend that time than to spend it together?

“I plan on spending dead week by hanging out with my friends before graduation,” said senior English major Kiana Smith.

“As of now our plans are to do day trips to the [North Virginia] area and we’re currently planning a weekend trip to either the beach or D.C.,” said Smith.

Senior communication and digital studies major Stefanie Chae plans to spend time with family and friends.

“I’m going to be going home to watch movies with my family, my friends and I might go explore southern Virginia for some swimming holes, and I will be meeting with clients for my videography business that I run,” said Chae.

Chae said, “I am ecstatic for all that is planned because it’s a week where I don’t have any real responsibilities, and I can spend that last week with friends before everyone goes their separate ways.”