Despite the agonizing mosquito bites and the occasional melancholic weather, I speak on behalf of those who attended senior trip when I say it was a successful one. It was the one weekend I did not spend time fiddling on my smartphone or opening up my laptop to work on numerous essays and IAs. Although I am now rushing to catch up on work, I do not regret it one bit. It was the first moment in my senior year when I felt carefree.

The altruistic environment we had created was the hallmark of our senior trip to Maresias. We shared cranberry and orange juice, beach tennis rackets, and unforgettable memories. So many people walked into other’s rooms to fetch items to a point where invasion of privacy did not matter anymore. When a peer was in need of sleep, a neighbor’s bed was always available. I myself slept in three different rooms before finally reaching my own bed. The amount of shared food, ranging from cookies to French fries to fried calamari, made me realize seniors are capable of looking out for each other. We even took turns cleaning up the trash we had left on the beach—if it had been a school-sponsored trip, Graded teachers would have praised us. The Graded Class of 2015, initially composed of cliques, finally felt more like a family.

I witnessed the shyest people dance and jump along with the crowd, cheered on by the rest of the class. I witnessed people clawing at a piñata that appeared out of nowhere, desperately, hoarding the sweets after it exploded. I witnessed people willingly throw themselves into the pool, followed by others coerced to do the same. As a class, we created chants that we will carry with us throughout the rest of the year. We even had friends visiting from the United States who came just to have a last party with us. Not a single person complained of the workload they would face when they returned to school. It was a time everyone released themselves from their responsibilities and enjoyed the moment.

After we returned to São Paulo to face our senior realities, I have heard numerous people talking about a senior trip 2.0. Although the event was difficult to organize and had a few setbacks, the idea does not sound so bad to me. In fact, it almost comforts me because, at the end of the day, all of the stressful moments we have underwent together aren’t going to be half as memorable as the moments when we were united as a class. Of course, I must acknowledge that we decided to go through with Senior Skip Day tradition, and let go of our school responsibilities. It wasn’t completely virtuous, but to an extent, the entire trip led me to understand our senior class a little better. So, in the end, some of the immaturity doesn’t really matter. It doesn’t matter that several people stayed up until 6 a.m. to see the sunrise on the beach, only to discover the mountains covered up the sun. It doesn’t matter that our bodies are either sunburnt or mosquito-bite-covered. It doesn’t matter that we now have to worry about assignments and college. What matters the most is that we are a family of seniors, united in our responsibilities and immaturity, and if we have to organize yet another trip to experience that all over again, then so be it.