I have stayed silent for long enough. As a young Violet entering Marlborough, I feared the senior tables. While walking past them, I knew that those sitting there were to be respected. Recently, I have noticed an accumulation of non-seniors sitting at these tables in large groups, so I come to you now with an urgent request. Let us have the senior tables. I’m not often one for a hierarchical Upper School/Lower School dynamic, but this is important. I don’t really care about accidental college sweatshirt wearing or anything else, but all I ask for are the senior tables. 

Returning to my comfy abode (the area outside the senior lounge) and being denied a seat due to the horde of younger students is less than ideal. It’s nothing personal against them, I just want to sit. It’s not even like they are bereft of seats, there are plenty of other places on campus that are far less of a hot commodity (i.e. the field or literally anywhere else). Additionally, considering the fact that the majority of younger students’ classes are downstairs, it seems counterintuitive to sit so far away from one’s classes during a break. 

The value of the chairs and tables isn’t defined by their quality, but rather what they signify. I am willing to accept that it is possible new students didn’t know about this unspoken concept of senior tables, so take this article as a plea and an educational resource to enlighten those who are still unaware. Sitting at the senior tables is a way of signifying one’s status as a senior, not with the perspective of “seniors are better than everyone else so we get the tables,” but rather with the perspective of “I have survived this so please just allow me to have designated seating.” This might be disheartening to some younger students, but I assure you that your disappointment is part of the magic of the senior tables. Since freshman year, I resented the seniors for not allowing anyone to sit at their tables. Years of irritation with this tradition infuriated me and made me mad with jealousy. Now, being a senior, these tables are 10 times as sweet. So please let us have these tables now because I promise that when you’re a senior, you will revel in them and be grateful that your years of waiting paid off.