Exonian Exceptionalism
As my first year in college comes to a conclusion, I would like to share some of my experiences. Arriving at Exeter as a new upper was the most stressful and daunting period in my entire life—coming from Azerbaijan to the United States, a place where I had no relatives or personal connections, I was not just academically unprepared, but culturally and emotionally as well. I am forever grateful to those who believed in me throughout this difficult transition period. At Exeter, we do incredible things throughout our high school years; we push our absolute physical and intellectual limits, and then, by breaking them, we discover how much further we can extend ourselves.
We are constantly told that we are the leaders of tomorrow. While Exeter students do get a lot more exposure to the process of academic writing and research, there are many people out there in the world who can excel in their classes without the exceptional pre-college education that we had the privilege to experience. The reason for going to Exeter is not to make us the absolute best in the field we are going to pursue, but rather give us a strong foundation in any discipline that we find interesting. We are different not because we are the best at everything, but because we know how to distinguish between what really matters to our goals and our lives. We learn this on a daily basis. Remember how teachers encourage us to annotate our books? I find that the process of annotating texts taught me to interpret everything in its context and not just on content alone.
Freshman year at college will throw many frustrating moments at you. You will have to embrace the fact you will not be the top student in your class even with the work ethic and discipline that Exeter helped you develop. People will enter college with a diverse range of backgrounds and talents, some having had more exposure and specialized knowledge in certain subjects, but that will not matter in the long run. You will realize that being able to maintain your dedication to your pursuits is significantly more important than being the top student in an academic subject. Don’t let your first year of college be too overwhelming, because nothing is decided in one semester, or even two. You will see that the well-rounded education you received at Exeter will help you balance your academics and extracurricular life.
Take the skills and knowledge you’ve learned and apply it in college to extend your pursuit of knowledge. In college I realized that many accomplished Exonians don’t acknowledge how much of our success is due to the support and care we receive from our community. When you enter college, all of those networks of people will disappear and you will have to learn quickly how people change as they become older. Just remember all the advice and mentorship you received during your time at Exeter and keep in touch with your classmates. Even if you’re in the same graduating class in college, but didn’t necessarily know each other well at Exeter, keep those connections running. Stay in touch with your classmates who may be across the coast from you. You will realize how much you miss them when you run into Exeter alumni after your first summer away from the Academy.
Where you are doesn’t define who you are. This phrase stuck with me from Assembly speaker Ursula Burns during my upper fall. Remember that being an Exeter graduate doesn’t define you as an individual, but how you reflect and apply your experience at Exeter will determine the path to your aspirations.