First Day of Senior Year Quotes for Cards and Captions
First day of senior year quotes fall into two groups: attributed lines about beginnings and last chapters that you can quote with confidence, and short caption lines written for photos. This page keeps the two separate, so you know which is a real quote you can put someone’s name to and which is just a caption you can use freely.
Attributed quotes about beginnings and endings
These are real, sourced lines that fit the “last first day” feeling. Use them in a card, a speech, or a caption with the author’s name attached.
“And now that you don’t have to be perfect, you can be good.” — John Steinbeck, East of Eden
“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.” — often attributed to Mark Twain (attribution is disputed, so credit it as “commonly attributed to”)
That last one is worth a note: it is widely printed under Twain’s name, but there is no solid source for it. If accuracy matters, either drop the name or label it “commonly attributed.”
Short caption lines for photos
These are caption lines, not quotations, so there is no author to credit. Use them freely under a first-day photo.
“Last first day. Let’s make it count.”
“Senior year, day one.”
“One more first day, then the real firsts begin.”
“Started from freshman year, now we’re here.”
“Final chapter, best chapter.”
How do you pick the right one?
Match the line to where it is going. A card or speech can carry a longer attributed quote, because the reader has time to sit with it. A photo caption should be short — one line — so it does not compete with the image. If you are posting for a group, first-person plural (“we’re here,” “let’s make it count”) reads better than a solitary line.
For related collections, see first day of school quotes and quotes for high school students.
Using these in a caption without misquoting
If you attach a name, make sure the line is actually that person’s. The safest approach is to use the attributed quotes when you want a name attached and the caption lines when you just want words under a photo. When a quote’s origin is uncertain — like the Twain line above — say so or leave the name off. For how to credit a quote properly in writing, see how to cite a quote.
When senior year ends, the same care applies to graduation lines — see proud graduation quotes and graduation cap quotes.
More attributed lines about ambition and time
If you want a quote with more weight for a speech or a yearbook page, these are sourced and safe to credit.
“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” — commonly attributed to C.S. Lewis; the attribution is unverified, so credit it cautiously or leave it off
“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.” — Henry David Thoreau, Walden (paraphrased in popular use, but rooted in a real passage)
“The best way to predict the future is to create it.” — commonly attributed to Peter Drucker and to Abraham Lincoln; the source is genuinely disputed, so use it as a caption rather than crediting either name
The pattern worth noticing across all of these: the most-shared “senior year” and “beginnings” quotes are exactly the ones with shaky attribution. When in doubt, the Emerson, Steinbeck, and Thoreau lines above are the ones you can stand behind.
Writing a caption for a group versus yourself
A senior-year post is often a group photo, which changes the wording. First-person plural — “we made it to senior year,” “last first day together” — includes everyone in the frame and reads warmer than a solo line pasted under a group shot. Save the introspective single-person quotes for an individual portrait or a personal caption. Matching the voice of the line to the number of people in the photo is a small thing that keeps the caption from feeling borrowed.
FAQ
What is a good quote for the first day of senior year?
For a card, an attributed line like Emerson’s “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” For a photo, a short caption like “Last first day, let’s make it count.”
Is the Mark Twain “twenty years from now” quote real?
Its attribution is disputed — there is no reliable source tying it to Twain. Use it as a caption or label it “commonly attributed” rather than crediting Twain outright.
What’s the difference between a quote and a caption here?
A quote has a real author you can credit. A caption is a line written for photos with no author, so you can use it freely without attribution.
How long should a first-day caption be?
One short line. A caption sits under a photo, so it should not compete with the image. Save longer, attributed quotes for cards and speeches.