On the 3rd of May, most 8th-grade students took a trip to Universal Studios Hollywood. The park was closed off for Rosemont and other soon-to-graduate students from 7:30 to 11:30. Many students enjoyed the shorter lines for the most popular rides. The junior grad bash started at 1:30 when the 8th graders arrived at Rosemont and went to their seventh period. They then rode with their seventh-period class to Universal where the party began. Students had free reign of the park with the caution that if any Rosemont student were caught disobeying park rules, they would be punished at school. Each Rosemont student received one free meal voucher to use in select restaurants around the park, although they could bring extra money for snacks around the park.
The park also added many attractions just for the grad bash such as a silent disco, DJs, and music around the park. There were around 52 schools at the park. Some were from Southern California while others were from Las Vegas. As many students moved around there was a clear outlier on which ride kids were going on the most: Revenge of the Mummy, one of the park’s main attractions. Around 37% of the students said they went on this ride the most, which makes sense because nearly 50% of people said it’s their favorite ride in the park. As the night continued into the night, many students flocked to restaurants to use their free food vouchers. The most popular spots of the night were Crusty Burger, Minion Cafe, and Starbucks (even though you had to pay for Starbucks).
An overall successful Grad Bash left students with very few complaints, though many mentioned the late busses and the uselessness of the food vouchers. “The food wasn’t very good, the meal ticket didn’t cover many places, [and] the buses were late,” says Amelia Rivas.
Most students were very happy with their experience at Universal, and many suggest that next year’s Jr. Grad Bash follow suit. Others believe that the Grad Bash should take place elsewhere, with a quarter of students suggesting Six Flags.
“I think the students should vote at the beginning of the year [on] what amusement park they want to go to instead of only having Universal as an option. I think Six Flags would’ve worked much better for 13-14 year olds.” -Arthur Hakobyan
All in all, next year’s 8th graders have a lot to look forward to at their Jr. Grad Bash.