Life Advice

Hi everyone!!

Welcome back to school! As our first full week of school wraps up, I wanted to answer some questions that might be on your mind whether you’re a prep stressing about who you’re going to eat dinner with or a senior stressing about whether or not you’re going to go to college.

What is Back in Black?

Back in Black is the first dance of the the year hosted by Dunbar Hall. In the past, this dance had mostly been held on the first Saturday all new and returning students returned to campus; last year it was moved to the third weekend of the term. Personally, I think Back in Black is better a little later in the year because it gives new kids a chance to get to know their classmates and everyone can settle into the swing of things before being jumping around in a sweaty, strobe light-filled function hall for two and a half hours.

Should I go to breakfast in the morning even if I have no one to sit with?

Different people will give you different answers, but I think yes. I know your first couple of weeks here are stressful and the idea of waking up at 7 a.m. and walking into a room of people you don’t really know can be mortifying, but it’s not as big of a deal as it seems. Breakfast is a good way to start your day off and chances are you’ll see someone you recognize that you can just plop down next to. And even if you don’t recognize anyone, it’s really okay to just sit alone! I know a lot of people that prefer to eat breakfast alone so they can have a little more quiet time before having to be a part of discussions all day. You have to eat, so don’t let a fear of not knowing anyone in the dining hall keep you from starting your day in a healthy way. :)

Will I go to college?

I’ve been asking myself this question a lot lately, but at the end of the day, I know the answer is yes. For any senior reading this: WE WILL ALL GO TO COLLEGE. I know how stressful it can be with club, sports, homework and whatever else you have going on in your life, but I promise you if all the graduating classes before us could get through it, we can too. As important as it is to worry about finishing your Common App or writing the perfect essay, this year is the last year we’re going to have at the place that’s been our home for the past three years. Take some time to be with the people you love and don’t take yourself so seriously that you end up not really having any fun.

How do I make good friends?

I think one of the worst things you can do while at Exeter is get caught up in only hanging out with a few people and not exploring friendships with all of the other amazing individuals we have here. Everyone will tell you to not expect your friends from Prep Fall to be the friends you have for the rest of your life, and while there is some truth to that, it is very possible to meet your closest friends in the first couple of weeks of school. Some of my best friends are people that I went to Orange Leaf with during the first weekend of my prep year. At the same time, be open to meeting new people or giving old people a second chance. There are people that I am closer with than anyone else that I only became friends with last year! So, I guess my advice would be to have fun and be open to anything because you never know with whom you’re going to form lifelong relationships.

I hope you all are enjoying the start to your term and good luck!!

Love,

Bella <3