PEA Welcomes New Students on Move-In Day

Across campus, new and returning students bustle along the newly paved paths, some waving hello to their friends and teachers and others waving a hasty farewell to their parents before disappearing through the doors of their new homes.

“I thought it would be cool to be a part of something new at this school, and experience something different.”

For the first time in Exeter’s history, a handful of returning students moved into two newly established all-gender houses, Williams and Kirtland House.

Senior Cameron Speck, a Williams House resident, looks forward to living in a dorm that is gender inclusive.

“I thought it would be cool to be a part of something new at this school, and experience something different,” he said. “I’ll also be there to keep up the same atmosphere in Will House, and I’m excited to see what happens.”

According to Speck, a new visitations policy will be tested in the all-gendered dorms for the next two weeks. This policy entails full open door visitations for all visitors from 10:45am to 8pm on school nights, and half-closed door visitations on weekends until fifteen minutes before check-in. No check-in with faculty is required when visitors are in the dorm.

“If it ends up working in our dorm, it will spread across all dorms,” he said.

The all-gendered dorms have also transformed their bathrooms to include a changing room with each shower. This setup will avoid any discomfort among the dorm residents when using the restroom.

In all residences, dorm proctors helped new students move into their rooms and push carts of luggage across quads. Despite overcast skies and rainfall, seniors maintained their enthusiasm and conviviality in welcoming the new students.

Senior Jo de La Bruyere, a proctor in Langdell Hall, waited on the North Side quad, eager to meet her new dorm-mates. She is looking forward to having a friendly relationship with her proctees. “I think a good proctor can really make or break the Exeter experience from the very beginning,” she said.

Bancroft Hall proctor Vivienne Kraus, donning a rain-soaked t-shirt, said although she wished that the weather had been more pleasant, she thought that “the mood was still upbeat and everyone seemed to be excited to be moving into their new homes.”

“I love meeting new people and watching the environment of the dorm adjust to having a whole new class of people come in after the seniors’ graduation,” upper and Dunbar resident Caroline Matule said.

Dorm communities are not the only support system in place for the new students’ adjustment process.

Prep Connor Chen, a new member of the boys’ cross country team, mentioned that during preseason, his team played a vital role in his inclusion on campus. He described bonding with his teammates during and after practice.

“Each runner is very fast but also kind. We push each other,” he said. “When we weren’t hitting the trails, we’d play games on the quad, watch movies, and eat meals together at D-Hall.”

Prep Graham Guité appreciated the Main Street proctors’ involvement and hospitality on move-in day. “They were super nice and ready to help with advice or an extra pair of hands,” he said. “It’s awesome that the dorm is such a friendly community from day one.”

As for the coming school year, Guité looks forward to joining clubs and teams and “meeting all [his] classmates and learning about their diverse perspectives and backgrounds.”

Guité’s older brother, upper Jean Paul, said his favorite part of coming back to Exeter was reconnecting with his friends after months of separation. Compared to his arrival as a new lower last year, he thought his transition this year was “smoother” because “more friends makes it easier to go out and say hello.”

For day students, the excitement of arriving on campus for the new school year is not so much adjusting to a new residence, but rather the homecoming of old and new friends alike.

Senior day student Ellie Locke said she was happy to see the quads full of busy students. “During the summer, it’s kind of sad and eerie to see these buildings emptied,” she said. “It’s good to see everyone back.”

Upper day student Ari Aicobucchi agreed. “I love seeing new faces and helping them around,” she said. “I remember being a confused younger student. I hope that I can be someone to rely on, not just today but for the next two years as an upperclassman.”

As students hastened into their new homes, parents made a bittersweet departure. Sylvester West, father of prep Serena West, expressed his excitement for his daughter.

“I’m going to miss her, but after seeing all of her passionate and dedicated peers today, I am confident that this is a wonderful place with lots of opportunity for her to grow over next four years,” he said.