On Friday, April 12, the PC seniors headed up to Universal Studios for their Grad Bash celebration. Grad Bash is one long night, where seniors from all around Florida have the chance to spend time with each other wandering the parks of Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios. From crazy rides like Ripe Ride Rocket, the Hulk, Dragon Challenge, and seeing a well-known artist like Pitbull perform, the seniors had a blast!

Arriving around 6 p.m., the students had a chance to experience City Walk and enjoy the bustling atmosphere. Having the chance to explore many different clubs including a Reggae club and the Latin Quarter, the seniors got amped up by dancing and singing to their favorite music. Once in the parks, the students were set free for 5 hours to explore and have fun!

Senior Grant Stanford relished, “Once we were in the parks it was a lot of fun! My favorite rides were the Hulk and Dragon Challenge, formerly known as Dueling Dragons, in Harry Potter World. It was a great way to spend time with our friends!” Gabi Itzler also recounted her opinion on the trip; “For me, the experience was great because I got to spend time with people that I don’t normally have a chance to talk to during the school day.” Finally, Maya Bakhai shared her experience; “I thought Grad Bash was an awesome combination of music, food, dance, and adrenaline! The lines were pretty much nonexistent, and I even got to ride my favorite roller coaster – the Hulk – after midnight! It was definitely a good way to bond one last time with our senior class!!”

Overall, Grad Bash was a huge success! With only a few more weeks to go, hopefully Grad Bash will remain a great memory for all of the soon-to-be graduates of the Class of 2013. To sum it all up, Carolina Soto stated, “As we walked across Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios, we conquered rides that we once feared much like what we’ve successfully done throughout our years here at the Pine. Sometimes, things seem scary at first, but with time and experience, we learn to handle them, and best of all, enjoy them.”