Changing of the Seasons

Alongside the blossoming flowers and longer days, spring is finally here, and to greet it Exonians have flocked to the outdoors with their frisbees, slacklines, suntan lotion and more.Students and faculty are all thrilled for the warm days to come, after an especially lengthy, brutal winter. Taking a look around campus at any given time, you will find friends kicking around a soccer ball, soaking up the sun in their bathing suits, or just unwinding in the balmy and cheerful environment of spring term.“Personally, spring is a nice time to get out and relax, enjoying nature and other activities that are simply not possible to do in the winter,” senior Reed Woolfson-Jarvis said. “Spring is special because it is a time I get to explore Exeter and de-stress with friends. There is really no way of describing it.”Upper Philip Chang agreed, noting the greater access to hobbies that winter does not allow.“Spring definitely opens up a lot of opportunities in terms of outdoor activities, such as ultimate frisbee or slacklining,” he said. “Ultimate frisbee, in particular, is a great way to both enjoy the weather and spend time with dorm mates and friends, not to mention being a fun game in and of itself.”Because of the perfect weather, Exonians find a myriad of fun and fascinating past times.“In the spring, I slackline, which involves setting up a cord across two trees and trying to walk across. It is always a great time that attracts a lot of people, and we all try to complete new tricks or increase the difficulty as we get better” Woolfson-Jarvis said. “Otherwise, I also like to mountain bike, play frisbee, cycle, fly huge kites, or do other exciting, outdoorsy stuff. Spring is really the best time for these activities, being one of the safest and most enjoyable times because of the weather.”A rather new recreation, dorm soccer, was created this spring, and dorms have been competing in many informal games.“Dorm soccer was started by Ewald challenging a certain dorm each week to a soccer match,” upper Max Rerkpattanapipat said. “The weather is awesome outside during the spring and it is a nice way to bond with the dorm after being locked up inside for months during the winter. We have so much fun working together, laughing, celebrating, and it is something anyone in the dorm can do.”Upper Yusuke Agata, who was one of the students that began dorm soccer, also recognized how the casual games could create a more cohesive bond among a dorm as well as between dorms.“No soccer experience is necessary and we try to play purely for fun even if we do keep score,” Agata said. “Michael Baldyga and I started dorm soccer so we could foster healthy relationships between dorms on campus. Spring term is perfect for dorm soccer because the weather is nice and people are generally more inclined to go outside and take a break from homework.”Lower Matt Asante, who participates in the matches, shared a similar take on the games. “It quintessentially represents spring term because it gets us outside of our rooms to run around outside enjoying the weather, which is what these ten weeks are about,” he said.Dorm soccer and activities like them also help Exonians get to know different classmates and form new friendships.“As many uppers struggle with their 333s, dorm soccer provides an outlet to the stress that may have built up over the term,” Agata said. “Dorm soccer also allows for good sportsmanship and healthy inter-dorm relationships. It is a fun way to get to know new people.”Rerkpattanapipat added, “The weather is one of the best parts too. Tank tops, shirtless, or whatever. The wind rushing against you as you're running for the ball feels super refreshing,” he said. “ Everyone feels included, it is a good friendly competition between dorms and it really highlights the fun aspect of boarding school life.”