Senior superlatives are awards given to seniors based on certain qualities or personalities. Every year, seniors get the chance to vote for classmates in categories like “Most School Spirit” or “Best Smile.” While these awards are supposed to represent students authentically, many people question whether students are voting fairly or simply voting for their friends.
High school lasts four years, and during that time students build reputations, friendships, and impressions of one another. When voting season begins, many seniors campaign on Instagram and Snapchat by posting things like, “Vote for me for Best Dressed!” or “Vote for me for Most Likely to Succeed!” While this can make voting more fun, it also raises questions about whether the results are truly based on personality and achievement or just popularity.
One major concern students have is that the same people often win multiple awards. This can make other students feel overlooked, especially when many seniors have qualities that deserve recognition. Some students believe the voting process is biased because students are more likely to vote for their close friends or people they know well.
Senior Hussein Al-khalaileh shared his opinion on the issue. “I think senior awards are not authentic because there isn’t really a voting criteria,” he said. “Students vote for people they know instead of people they think truly deserve the award.”
Some students also think the categories themselves could be updated to better reflect today’s high school culture. Senior Felix Kizer suggested adding a category for “Most Addicted to Their Phone.” Other students have joked about adding funny or modern categories that students could relate to more. Adding new categories could make the voting process feel more creative and inclusive for different groups of students.
To make senior superlatives feel more authentic, some students believe changes should be made to the voting process. For example, limiting how many awards one student can win could allow more seniors to be recognized. Others think students should focus less on popularity and more on who genuinely fits each category.
At the end of the day, senior superlatives are supposed to celebrate the graduating class and create fun memories before the school year ends. While not everyone agrees that the process is completely fair, many students believe small changes could help make the awards feel more inclusive and meaningful for everyone.
