An Instagram Account Redefines Exeter’s College Culture

Courtesy of @pea24decisions

By: ERIN HAN and JANIBEK SUBKHANBERDIN

      This year, the class of 2024 has seen an unprecedented level of transparency from seniors regarding college decisions, most evidently through the Instagram account @pea24decisions, which has now seen 192 members of the senior class sharing their plans for study after Exeter. This is in stark contrast to previous years, when Exonians were known for secrecy surrounding acceptances, especially in the Early Decision phases, and the college admissions process was rarely spoken about among classmates.

      As every academic year enters its final stretch in the months spanning March and early April, a bittersweet blend of nostalgia and excitement for the next steps in their lives is palpable among the seniors of the graduating class. The emotional stress that this combination can bring is only intensified as Regular college admissions decisions roll in throughout the first weeks of the spring term.

      “I think for our year, we were very hyper-aware of it,” said senior class representative Corrine Blaise, referring to the class of 2024’s general attitude towards college acceptances and decisions. “I feel like, in previous years it’s been like, ‘Oh, if this person got in, that means that’s because this person didn’t get it.’ Rather than it being a, ‘We’re all in this process together. We’re all going through it as one.’”

      There was a consensus on the presence of this tension amongst many seniors, both from this year’s graduating class, and previous years. “In the past, and even today, the culture around college decisions can definitely be characterized as secretive, which I think is both fueled by and adds fuel to Exeter’s competitive atmosphere,” said senior Ariana Thornton.

      Class of 2023 alumna Lara Muyombe recalled how decisions were received during this same time last year. “Most of the class was extremely private surrounding college decisions, which is absolutely perfectly normal, but there was a lack of connection and celebration that I noticed, outside of close friend circles. There was not that much togetherness, and perhaps it’s because we were all very burnt out, but I found it interesting that not many people were very open about where they ended up committing.”

      College wall pages at Exeter have undergone notable evolution between this and last year’s accounts. For instance, last year, with little to no voluntary posts submitted to an official college wall account, an anonymous user launched a notorious “sniped” account (@peacollegesniped23), where seniors’ “digital footprints” that revealed their next steps in their academic  journey, were compiled into collage-like posts. Blaise spoke about how this was felt as a last straw for the class of 2024, a breaking point for the tension that had already been built up over the years. “I think our grade has been different with this college account because last year it was a sniped account and it was a, ‘listen, if you guys aren’t going to say it, we’re going to find it.’ I just think we were just kind of like,