Senioritis is in the air at Athens Drive and so is the urge to buy the senior items. However, the expense of the items stops seniors in their places. Gas, lunch, prom and especially graduation are the main things that steal from seniors’ wallets.

“Between cap and gown, yearbooks, application fees, etc., they are spending hundreds of dollars before they graduate,” said Elizabeth Phelps, Yearbook advisor.

The cap, gown and tassel are $29.15 total. However, there are two prices for the tassel since they are just souvenirs. The memory tassel is $9.50 and the mega tassel is $11.00.

To save the seniors from spending hundreds and hundreds of dollars, there are three convenient packages to choose from: The Economy Package which is $169.00, The Popular Package, which is $209.00 and The Ultimate Package, which is $269.00.

Herff Jones is the company that manages all these items. They can be contacted through their website, herffjones.com.

“The top three things seniors buy are cap and gown, various senior shirts, and yearbooks,” said Christopher Remaley, senior coordinator.

The Senioritis shirt seems to be the favorite of many seniors. The Senioritis shirt is a black t-shirt with “got senioritis?” written across the shirt in bold white letters. On the back it has a list of top ten things students have said and survived to become a senior at Athens.

“My favorite senior items would probably be the senioritis shirt,” said Kenny Blacknall, senior.

The demand for yearbooks is relatively high. According to Phelps, the yearbook staff has sold over 300 books in presales so far. The cost for yearbooks alters as the year continues. Athens Drive sells the least expensive yearbook in Wake County.

“This year it began at $60, the lowest price it has ever been. Then in late September it increased to $65 and will increase again to $70 by February,” said Phelps, “The yearbook costs around $60,000 to produce. So we work the hardest to sell senior ads to maintain the low sales costs.”

However, a few students are upset over the high prices of other seniors items.

They say that they already have so much to spend on: gas, food and entertainment.

“Between gas and lunch, I don’t think many seniors could afford to buy items

priced that high,” said Ryan Spalding, senior.

            A class ring alone costs more than $100. Herff Jones class rings vary in price based on the material, design and karat used.

Being a senior is not free either. There is a $45 fee that each senior is required to pay.

Overall, according to Remaley, seniors spend a minimum of $200, covering lunch, both off-campus and inside school, gas, cap and gown and buying other senior items. Just remember, there is college to pay for too.

“Senior students have to pay a lot for caps and gowns. And for college, it will be much more expensive but maybe if you got financial aid or something, you haven’t have to pay as much.” said Tsega Gerbresilasie, senior.