Senior of the Year: Jamie Reidy

By LILY RAMPE ‘26

The cold April New Hampshire air blows against her cheeks. She sits in the stroke seat, keeping a strong rhythm for the seven rowers behind her. The oarlocks click in unison as the athletes finish each stroke. Speeding down the Squamscott River, the familiar scenery blurs by, bringing back memories from numerous long, laborious practices. 

“Power 10!” the coxswain shouts. 

The boat flies by the final set of orange buoys, marking 500 meters left of the race. She keeps looking straight ahead, ready to pull as hard as she can for the next 10 strokes. Whether she is tackling a math problem or finishing a 2k, Jamie Reidy has a work ethic that allows her to give it her all.

A day student from Bedford, NH affiliated with New Hall, Reidy is a co-head of Females for Finance and a rower who loves to hike, volunteer, write poetry, and lift weights. Reidy came to Exeter as a Prep. “My Dad went to private school and had a bad experience, so my parents had been anti private school my whole life. But throughout middle school, I felt isolated socially and wanted an environment with more like-minded peers. I didn’t even know what Exeter was a month before the application was due. I was quickly hooked on the idea, and after getting in, I made my parents a lengthy PowerPoint, and thankfully won them over,” said Reidy.

Born in New York, Reidy moved around a lot before coming to Exeter. “While I’ve never left the Northeast, moving several times has forced me to quickly adapt and find my place in new environments, a skill I’ve brought to Exeter,” said Reidy. 

Since coming to Exeter, rowing has become a major part of Reidy’s life. Next year, she is committed to rowing at Harvard. Before Exeter, Reidy was a runner, and even ran cross country during her Prep Fall. “I was a big runner all my life and came to Exeter with the intention of running through high school. Running cross country my prep fall gave me a friend group, an identity, and a focus on campus. But my dad was determined that my height and muscle were more cut out for rowing, so after a couple injuries and encouragement from my dad, I tried out for crew my prep spring. I’ve never felt more at home than in a boat, on a beautiful river, working out hard with my good friends. They say that sports teams are a second family, and I can definitely attest to that,” Reidy said. 

One friend Reidy made through crew was Edie Fisher. “I met Jamie prep year during XC, but it wasn’t until we both joined the crew team that spring that I really began to know her. We were paired together prep year in the bow of the V2 where we became fast friends at crew dinners, and she was always this great bright and honest friend that I loved hanging out with,” Fisher said.  

Reidy’s strong work ethic is one factor that has led to her success as a rower. “Work ethic means so much more to me than talent or success. Whether it’s a class, a job interview, or maintaining a friendship, I want to be counted on for giving it 100%,” Reidy said. Fisher added, “I most admire Jamie’s balance of grit and compassion. This has made her an incredible teammate who both challenges and uplifts her teammates.”

 Tenley Nelson, another friend of Reidy’s, would describe her as driven. “As another athlete that takes my sport seriously, I love talking with Jamie about her rowing, her upcoming races, training, recovery, anything. She is a very disciplined athlete, which is something I really respect, and it has taken her very far in her sport and I’m sure it will continue to in college. She brings this same intensity to the classroom, managing to balance all that she is doing and still helps the class learn the material with her thorough understanding.” 

In addition to excelling on the river, Reidy’s favorite class is math. “I love math because it has an answer, rather than the multiple interpretations of English or history. If you know it, you know it, and if you don’t, you don’t. The black-and-white quality of math suits my personality,” Reidy said. “I wish more people truly understood how difficult it is to do what she does. To be performing at such a high athletic level while still really excelling in her classes. I think this is something that makes Jamie particularly special and deserving of recognition,” Nelson added. 

Although Reidy is not certain about what she wants to do in the future, her major is applied math. “At Harvard, I will be majoring in applied math specializing in economics. Math is my favorite class, but I prefer the everyday use of statistics to the ambiguity of calculus. I am also interested in pursuing a career in finance, so my major combines two of my interests. Whether I go into consulting, investment banking, or another field is something I will think harder about in college,” Reidy said.

Throughout her four years at Exeter, Reidy has grown as a person and a student. One thing Reidy learned was the importance of hard work, a characteristic that now shapes her personality. “I’ve learned that seeking instant gratification can lead to major disappointment when the little things don’t go my way, regardless of the hard work I put in. Success isn’t linear, but in the long run, I know I will be rewarded if I am relentless and resilient during the bumps in the road,” Reidy said.  Fisher described Reidy as loyal “If I could describe her in one word it would be loyal. Whether it is to friends or rowing, Jamie has this incredible sense of dedication to know what she wants and ability to stand up for her thoughts or go after new goals,” Fisher said. 

Reidy described her Exeter experience as being full of self-discovery. An example of this is shown through her determination and resilience. “People naturally like to do the things they are good at, but before Exeter, anything I initially struggled with, I stopped pursuing. When I was little, I quit every board game when I started losing. But math, my weakest subject coming into Exeter, became my favorite. I never realized I was a good public speaker until Harkness forced me to speak. There are many skills I never would have gained without coming to Exeter, simply because I never gave myself the chance to gain them.”

Reidy continued, “I have a very Type-A personality, so in the beginning of my time here, I overthought every word I said so much that I often ended up silent. I hoped that by sitting in what was an uncomfortable environment for me several times a day, I would loosen up. And it happened. I’m still a perfectionist, but I am less high-strung.”

However, Reidy’s experience at Exeter has also been challenging at times. Reidy regrets not asking for help at times she needed it. “I always thought that asking for help was a sign of weakness, but I wish I figured out earlier that the most successful people here are the ones that ask questions, meet with their teachers, and acknowledge when they’re struggling.” 

There were also moments where Reidy felt like her voice was not heard. Reidy said, “I thought the school was going to help open developing minds to see all sides of life and encourage free thought. Over my years here, however, my voice has been shunned whenever I express an opinion that is different from the majority.”

One of Reidy’s favorite things to take advantage of being a day student and blast music as she drives. “I have an eclectic music taste, with the only similarity being upbeat. Eminem, Dua Lipa, Pitbull, and Guns & Roses are some of my favorite artists.” Nelson also enjoys these car rides. Nelson said, “In general, I think my favorite thing to do with Jamie is to just drive around listening to Hair Nation on the radio. That might sound lame but it’s very nice to hang out with someone with great music taste.” 

Reidy also loves to get Starbucks in the middle of the day. “One of the luxuries of being a day student is being able to drive to Starbucks in between classes. Whenever I need an alone moment or a pick-me-up, a pumpkin bread and caramel latte does the trick.” Fisher added, “I think the one best random fact about Jamie is how when she gets to Starbucks or any coffee shops she looks for the most wack favored drink on the menu. Sometimes that means something like a blue birthday cake brownie mocha latte, and she will love every sip of it.”

Fisher also has many favorite memories with Reidy. Fisher said, “I don’t have a singular favorite memory with Jamie, but some of the best times have been during the most mundane situations. Even if it is just a dinner or night as roommates at preseason we always manage to have a fun time whether that is from an out of pocket conversation, attending spontaneous duck race, or going ALL out for spirit days or holidays.” 

Reidy will be missed by the Exeter community. Nelson wanted to tell Reidy: “Jamie, you’re probably the coolest person I know, and it’s been great to get to know you over these past few years. Rock on.” Fisher also left a message, “To my favorite preseason roommate, chicken mom, lunch buddy, accidental outfit twin, poet, finance bro, and birthday cake latte drinker, you are one of the greatest parts of being at Exeter. It has been incredible to watch you grow as an athlete these last few years and I could not be prouder to call you my teammate, friend, and to watch you continue to crush it on the Charles next year!!!! I cannot wait to meet up during college, and I am going to miss you so much until then!! Love, Edgurt.” 

She hears the crowd cheering as the Exeter Girls 1st boat approaches the finish line. Gaining distance with each stroke, the boat crosses the finish line. Reidy smiles, excited for all the successes that will come in the future through hard work and tenacity.