It is not a secret that senior week, sometimes referred to as “sweek,” is one of the things seniors all around the world look forward to the most during their last year of high school. Generally speaking, it is a week where recently graduated high school students go to the beach for one last hurrah before everyone goes their separate ways. Most of the time, seniors will go during May or June, soon after they graduate. The students will rent houses within their friend groups, head to the beach, and participate in many beachside activities. Although sending a bunch of teenagers to the beach unsupervised could be a recipe for disaster, it is a tradition that has been going on for a long time, and it’s unlikely that it will stop anytime soon.
For Pennridge seniors, Wildwood, NJ is the place to be for sweek. Located at the southernmost tip of New Jersey, it is an easy and convenient drive, but the draw to Wildwood doesn’t stop there. Wildwood appeals to anyone and everyone, as they offer free beaches, 38 blocks of exciting boardwalk attractions, and more than 160 spectacular events held annually. The visitors can also explore Morey’s Piers and Beachfront Water Park, various museums, the Wildwood Convention Center, Wildwood Farmers Market, the Seaport Aquarium, and the trademark Sightseeing Trams. Because of this, Wildwood has received national recognition from many of the top news organizations and travel publications in the country. For example, Time.com, USAToday, Sherman’s Travel, Forbes Traveler, Smarter Travel, National Geographic, and many more have recognized the excellence of the beaches. Wildwood has also been recently named the number one destination on the rise by TripAdvisor, among the best places to travel by Expedia, and the number one summer hot spot by TripAdvisor.
Knowing this, many Wildwood beach house owners are cautious of who they rent to and may even jack up the price, knowing that these seniors could get into some trouble and will practically pay anything for a week filled with attractions and fun with their friends. Once the seniors are able to rent a house, they begin planning their own fun. It is very popular for there to be a theme for each day of the trip. For example, Pennridge’s themes for this year are Country Saturday, White Lie Sunday, ‘Merica Monday, Blackout Tuesday, Pink Out Wednesday, Tropical Thursday, and Neon Friday.
Despite this, it may not be the attractions that seniors cherish the most about the week. Parker Wood, a Pennridge alumnus, reflects on his senior week experiences, saying, “It was an overall positive experience. Nothing beats hanging at the beach with your closest friends for a week of fun.” Additionally, current Pennridge senior Keira Klingaman says that she is attending senior week because “It is the last time to see most of the grade.” It is possible that the most important thing about senior week is the celebrations and strengthening of the friendships that were built throughout the high school years. This year, senior week is taking place in Wildwood from June 15 to 22. The seniors are getting ready for their last hurrah and looking forward to continuing the tradition of sweek.
Sources:
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g46931-Activities-Wildwood_Cape_May_County_New_Jersey.html
@pridgesweek24 on Instagram
https://wildwoodsnj.com/events-calendar/
https://wildwoodsnj.com/about-the-wildwoods/awards-and-accolades/
https://wildwoodsnj.com/about-the-wildwoods/
https://www.stayinwildwood.com/about-wildwood
