No adviser ever says, “I wish we included less.” But every year, schools look back and think: “We should have covered that.” “I can’t believe we didn’t document that.” “I wish we had asked students about that moment.” By late February, most books are well underway, which makes this the perfect time to pause and ask: Are we capturing everything that matters? Schools often regret not including these 5 things:

The start of a new year brings a unique mix of emotions for yearbook advisers. Winter break offers a much-needed pause, but January also marks the moment when reality becomes fixed. Deadlines are closer, pages are filling up, and the second half of the yearbook journey is officially beginning.

As the semester winds down and winter break approaches, yearbook advisers everywhere feel that mix of relief, excitement, and chaos. Pages are half-finished, photos are scattered across devices, deadlines loom in the new year, and your staff is already mentally checked out and dreaming of vacation.