PEA Returns to Traditional ALD Events
Exonians welcomed Thursday’s Academy Life Day (ALD) as a chance to construct couches out of sand at the beach, paint pumpkins and traverse corn mazes.
Last year, the Academy used ALD to discuss race at Exeter. This year, however, the day reverted to dorm bonding activities, similar to past years. Many students and faculty members felt that the return to the traditional dorm activities more effectively achieved ALD’s original goal: to foster and develop the family-like rapport among dorm members and their day student affiliates.
“I am thrilled that we have returned back to the dorm activities, which have consistently brought students closer together,” McLaughlin said.
Exeter’s annual ALD tradition began on Oct. 2, 1995, and was originally named Residential Life Day. Since then, ALD has become an integral part of Exeter’s culture and a hallmark of school spirit and bonding.
Last year, the administration piloted a different ALD schedule that focused on discussions of diversity and inclusion, designed to address racial issues raised by student organizations like the Afro-Latinx Exonian Society (ALES).
While senior Simone Harris commended last year’s efforts to strengthen the PEA community through discussions, she missed the dorm bonding time. “At last year’s Academy Life Day, I [was] on the fence about it because I was really excited that the school was taking steps about diversity,” Harris said. “But at the same time, I was kind of sad that [ALD] didn’t happen like it normally does last year in order for the discussions to take place.”
Physics Instructor and Abbot Hall dorm affiliate Michael McLaughlin was elated that ALD had returned to dorm activities. “I am thrilled that we have returned back to the dorm activities, which have consistently brought students closer together,” McLaughlin said. “Although the discussions from last year’s Academy Life Day had good intentions, I think just letting students get to know each other better and have fun as normal teenagers will make their time at Exeter more enjoyable.”
Returning students, like upper Billy Menken, enthusiastically approved and appreciated the administration’s decision to switch back to the original ALD. “Academy Life Day last year provided an opportunity to discuss some important topics, but I don’t think it fulfilled the role of Academy Life Day in promoting student bonding,” he said.
Menken explained that, in his opinion, dorm activities helped strengthen the PEA community more than the discussions tackling campus issues because they allowed students to build more trust and understanding within relationships. According to Menken, closer bonds among students make discussions more meaningful and progressive. “I strongly believe a group bonds best through activity, especially adversity, adventure or objective.” he said. “Just like with any friend you make, you must get to know them before you can effectively discuss serious topics with them.”
Senior and Webster Hall proctor Yaseen Ahmed felt similarly to Menken. According to Ahmed, this year Webster continued its tradition of traveling to Wallis Sands State Beach in Rye, New Hampshire for games of frisbee, football and Spikeball. He also described Webster’s decade-long tradition of students constructing massive couches out of sand. “We’ve been doing the same activities for Academy Life Day for as long as anybody can remember,” Ahmed said. “Every year it proves to be a great way to facilitate bonding between the Webster gents.”
New students in particular enjoyed their ALD and felt that dorm activities were especially meaningful. Prep Ethan Aguilar said, “I felt that Academy Life Day allowed us get our minds away from the stress caused from school and focus on just being kids.”
Last year, former Dean of Residential Life AJ Cosgrove had proposed having three Academy Life Days in the 2018-19 school year to accommodate both dorm bonding activities and discussions of race. PEA will still only have one ALD this year.
However, many students, including senior Grace Gray, are open to the idea of more ALDs centered around dorm activities or discussions. “I think our school should have more discussions about what we value and concretely explore how we will cultivate this community,” Gray said.
Exonians continue to express how Academy Life Day helps build the PEA community. For most Exonians, ALD is a day for discovering new relationships and strengthening existing ones. As Ahmed reflected, “In my four years, this Academy Life Day was our best one yet!”