Every year, Groves High School hosts a Senior Seminar: a day that’s meant to help the current class of seniors feel more prepared for what happens after high school, whether they’re going to college or not. Prior to the actual day, seniors are sent a Google form to choose the top three modules. Although the specific modules do change year by year, they always follow a theme. There are always a few on finance, housing, etc. For example, this year we had multiple modules on financial management and financial aid. On the day of the seminar, we are given the modules we have been assigned to. Senior Seminar is usually held off campus, which is why many seniors seem to enjoy it. This year’s Senior Seminar was held on March 6 at Lawrence Tech University. Overall, the idea of a senior seminar is very appreciated and is a great way to get valuable information to seniors, however I personally didn’t find it very helpful.
Senior seminar overall didn’t hurt, but I also didn’t find it to be much help. The modules I was assigned to were ‘Dorm Life and Relationships’, ‘Self Defense for Females’ and ‘Financial Management’. I did pick these modules; however, self-defense for females was the only module I actually enjoyed and found helpful.
According to some staff, as well as past seniors, self-defense for females is usually a crowd favorite, and I understand why. I enjoyed the conversations we got to have as well as the techniques we practiced. The officer did an amazing job of creating a safe space for the women around. She helped us learn to use our voices and understand our right to say no. We had the opportunity to talk to each other about our shared experiences as women, and we learned a pretty fun way to remove someone’s arm from around you. All in all, I really enjoyed this module and will definitely use the tools and conversations we had.
In Dorm Life and Relationships, two residential advisors and a housing staff member from Eastern Michigan University spoke to us. Although, objectively, what they said could be helpful, it felt a bit generic and not what I was expecting. For example, when anyone asked about roommate arguments or arguments in general, their response was always something along the lines of speaking to an RA or staff member. Although that’s not bad advice, I was hoping for more real answers, things that can’t just be found on the internet. They had a small presentation, but for the most part, it was Q&A style, which I appreciated. Because the modules are allotted approximately an hour and a half, I was expecting more in-depth conversations about moving and living on your own for the first time; instead, it felt like we were given similar answers for every question, each answer being generic and easily found through a Google search.
Financial Management wasn’t what I was expecting at all. When I chose this module, I was anticipating learning about financial management in college or as a young adult. Instead, I was “learning” about 401k’s and credit cards. Although important, I don’t find any of this information relevant to the stage of life I’m currently in. When we began, we went straight into saving for retirement, which, if you were speaking to college graduates, would probably be helpful, but to a room full of 17-18 year olds, it’s not at the top of our list. I wanted to learn more about budgeting in college or balancing expenses as a young adult, being on their own for the first time. This module really disappointed me and didn’t feel marketed properly. Had I known what the financial advisors were going to be talking about, I would have picked a different module.
Overall, I didn’t enjoy the Senior Seminar. All of the information given felt surface-level, like something I could have learned on my own. Although I didn’t personally enjoy it, this isn’t to say you shouldn’t attend or that it’s bad overall. Outside of the modules, I definitely enjoyed the free day and the time I was able to spend with friends. I went into Senior Seminar completely blind with no idea what to expect. I love the concept, but for me it wasn’t what I had hoped it would be.
