Rise in Seniors Spending Winter Abroad

For many Exonians, winter is the hardest term at Exeter, but this year, about 13 percent of the senior class—38 students—will escape the dreaded season by joining one of the many term-abroad programs.This winter, students will be traveling all over the world: Ecuador, Germany, Ireland, Italy and Taiwan. The trips were in such a high demand that many Exonians’ applications were denied.According to Director of Exeter's Global Initiatives Eimer Page, instructors in charge of the programs had to turn students away from the Chinese immersion trip in Taiwan because of the incredibly high interest and lack of resources to send more students.Eight students will attend the Germany trip, Page said, which is “more participants than I can ever recall.”Modern languages department chair and French and German instructor Richard Schieber said, “We don’t have a [senior German] class this year; they are all in Göttingen. It’s wonderful.”Schieber attributed the rise in applications to students beginning to realize the benefits of the program, which include traveling off campus and the chance to improve language skills.One senior attending the trip to Germany this year, Braxton Harris, saw the program as a good opportunity to experience and immerse himself in the German lifestyle.“Exeter is an insanely depressing place in the winter, and I'd much rather be experiencing a different culture for two months than trudging through a thousand feet of snow,” he said.Sacharja Cunningham, one of the seniors on the trip to Ecuador, agreed. He added that along with escaping the bitter winter of New Hampshire, a term abroad would have cultural benefits in comparison to staying in Exeter.“Also, as Exonians, we're all required to take a language. Therefore it's easy to be a ‘guest’ in the language and the cultures it represents by simply going to class, taking tests, etc.” Cunningham said.“We return to English when we walk out the classroom door and understandably, revert back to our daily lives. However, I passionately believe it is worth it to find a ‘home’ in the language and culture, in this case, literally.”In addition to an experience in cultural immersion, Cunningham also considers his term abroad as a treat to himself, “to have an adventure,” after thinking about grades, clubs and college during his senior fall.While abroad, Cunningham will still be able to continue working on college applications and playing a role in some of the clubs he is a part of at Exeter.Senior LaNice Baker, who will also go to Ecuador this term, agreed with the benefits of going abroad, but added that time away from campus may have negative effects. It could affect the amount of time spent working on college applications as they are due during the beginning of winter as well as students’ social lives since seniors will come back with only one term left with their classmates.Baker weighed these potential effects of going abroad but eventually decided that, “It came down to what I wanted to do. I wanted to go to Ecuador, so I had to organize what I needed to do.”Many students have noticed the absence of 38 seniors, but there are mixed feelings about how much effect this will have on campus life.Baker expressed that the large absence of seniors will shift social and academic dynamics because certain opinions may not be heard at the table or at school.Margaret Cohen, a senior who had gone abroad to Grenoble, France in the fall, returned to a campus that many of her peers and friends had left.“One of my best friends is now abroad this term so  I'll be spending 2/3 of my senior year without her, and it's definitely weird,” said Cohen. “But that just makes senior spring even more enticing!”Cohen continued, recognizing that although they will be missed, seniors going abroad have the chance to bond with one another. On her trip to Grenoble, Cohen said, everyone in the group came from different backgrounds and social groups, but by the end of the trip, they had become a cohesive and close group of friends.Cunningham also commented on the effect of so many seniors going abroad this term.“As seniors, we make up a significant part of leadership positions, spots on sports teams or just faces our peers rely on for Exeter to feel like home. I do think, however, the senior class has great students on campus now to balance the groups leaving,” he said.In the meantime, many students going abroad for the winter will have a few more weeks spent at home than usual, before their trips depart in January. Harris is among these students.“I’m not really doing anything before I leave,” said Harris, who said his time will be spent mostly with “a few essays I have to write for the trip, Netflix marathons and video games.”So, although Exeter is missing 13 percent of the senior class, everyone will soon be reunited with them when the flowers bloom and spring comes around, and in the meantime, all will continue fulfilling their Exeter experiences, whether that be abroad or on campus.