Academy Life Day Activities Promote Dorm Bonding
Hoyt residents churned out t-shirts on the art studio’s printing presses with bright blue and orange text, while Main Street Hall sprinted around the football stadium in an exciting game of capture the flag. Meanwhile, Front Street took over the Hilltop Fun Center’s go-karts and mini golf courses, and Webster went to Wallis Sands Beach following dorm tradition.
These are only four examples of what dorms did together last Wednesday evening and Thursday morning as part of Academy Life Day (ALD) events. From on-campus mug painting to off-campus excursions to the apple orchards and beaches, proctors and faculty planned activities that fit their budgets and specific interests.
Wheelwright Hall hosted a High School Musical-themed field day with randomly assigned teams to encourage bonding across grades. Dressed in red, blue and pink, their residents relayed soaked sponges across the field to fill solo cups with water and sprinted to find their shoe.
Senior and Wheelwright proctor Addie Graham appreciated how through these events, she was able to connect with a variety of peers. “For me, the dorm is my family,” she said. “So I see ALD as an opportunity to get new students excited to have Wheelwright as their new home, and to strengthen the bonds between all students.”
Hoyt Hall residents took over the printmaking studio and created their own t-shirts. Senior and Hoyt proctor Annabel Lee attested to how well the activity suited the purpose of the day: inclusive, easy communal relaxation. “The great thing about printmaking is that you don't have to be super experienced to make something that looks cool, and I think that everyone had a fun time,” she said. “There was a great vibe in the room throughout the whole [event].”
Other dorms spent time off campus. Langdell Hall visited a corn maze on Wednesday night before making pancakes and completing a scavenger hunt the next morning, and Gould House went apple picking in Hampton.
Planning for Academy Life Day began at different times for each dorm. English Instructor and Webster Hall dorm head Alex Myers began preparing and had booked transportation before school had begun.
Transportation Coordinator Daisy Jobarteh said that there was no set deadline for when dorms should request ALD transportation. However, it was provided on a first come, first serve basis.
Jobarteh said that 19 dorms requested transportation, and that it was completely unavailable for one of these dorms “due to the hours of departure and return they preferred.” The school used 11 school buses, one coach bus, two vans, two minivans and three red dragons for ALD events.
Still, some dorms had to modify their plans quite close to the day due to transportation limitations. Wheelwright changed their plan from an off-campus trip to an on-campus field day with “four days” notice because of bus availability, according to Graham. Langdell moved their corn maze trip from Thursday morning to Wednesday night for similar reasons.
Nonetheless, regardless of such logistical challenges, boarding and day student Exonians had fun and unique experiences.
Main Street upper Thomas Guo noted that the event served as a unique venue to bond with day student affiliates; his dorm played capture the flag at the football stadium and enjoyed a faculty-run cookout. “I actually got to meet more day student affiliates, who don’t usually spend much time in the dorm,” Guo said. “During the cookout, we sat around together and talked, and afterwards, we had fun playing spikeball together.”
Emily Wang, a returning lower in Bancroft Hall hopes ALD will encourage day student affiliates to spend more time with boarders. Bancroft spent the day painting mugs for one another in their common room. “More day students showed up than I expected, which was great,” Wang noted.
Senior and Front Street House proctor Grant Gooddall, who has an advisor not affiliated with his dorm, participated in an activity with his advisory group and a larger scale activity with his dorm. As a day student, Goodall explained, “You both have these rambunctious, large activities you can do as a big group or a smaller, more intimate get together where you can talk about stuff is going. I [had] a smaller dinner with my advisor and the other advisees at the end of Thursday.”
For many Exonians including senior and Webster proctor Jack Liu, the level of freedom given to each dorm allowed for a very carefree atmosphere. “The dorms do a very good job of providing a nice fun day … it’s organic,” Liu said. “Academy Life Day is one of the only days where you don’t have to think about being at Exeter. You’re just thinking about being with your friends in your dorm.”
Senior and Main Street proctor Sam Kim concluded that Academy Life Day has always been—and will continue to be—an important day for Exonians to start life-long relationships and memories. “Academy Life Day is some of my favorite times of fall term; I always feel like people are a lot closer together afterwards and I think it’s a great day for everyone all around,” he said.