Brilliant Bade
Driven by her strong passion for science, robotics and racquet sports, senior Divya Bade’s presence on campus is enjoyed by both students and faculty. Bade’s curiosity never stops at what is taught in class, but continues on, as she uses her curiosity to learn and further develop ideas outside of the classroom. Whether she’s seen leading the Robotics Club or boosting up the team morale of the girls’ varsity tennis team, her hardworking and kind-hearted personality brings a smile to everyone around her.
Bade, a three year senior from Saratoga, California, is especially known for her dedication to sports and science. Bade’s vigorous passion towards tennis and science/robotics was further developed when she came to Exeter. Outside of the classroom, Bade is always engaged in many different activities. As a co-head of Robotics, ESSO Tennis, Genetic Journal Club, captain of the varsity tennis team and a proctor in Merrill Hall, Bade takes on a lot of responsibility, piled on top of all of her academics.
Having played tennis since she was seven years old, Bade says the sport has always played a major role in her life, bringing her and her dad closer together. “Tennis has been a big part of my life and has allowed me to meet so many passionate people and to grow as an athlete and competitor. Tennis and squash have always been a way for me to let go and enjoy myself and put all my energy into something,” she said, mentioning that she really loved racquet sports in general. In efforts to foster these same experiences for other young children, Bade joined ESSO Tennis, where she enjoys encouraging children to learn how to play tennis by coming up with fun games and drills.
As the captain of girls’ varsity tennis team, Bade has been a comforting and energetic presence on the team. “She really cares about everybody and she’s always there to help everyone. There’s this sense of ‘mother-like’ vibe you get from her,” lower and teammate Elizabeth Yang said.
Apart from sports, Bade’s deepened interest in science and robotics was supported by Exeter when she came as a new lower. She noted that the robotics team on campus includes some of the most passionate people, who make going to competitions and building robots a lot of fun. Ever since taking chemistry in her lower year, she has fallen in love with the subject. She credits her affinity for the subject to her teachers, who have encouraged her fervor curiosity and passion. “Amazing teachers like Mr. McLaughlin and Mr. McTammany spurred my interest in chemistry and inspired me to pursue science/chemistry in college,” she said.
Senior Aivant Goyal also praised Bade for her dedication and eagerness to learn more, by pushing for a more advanced chemistry course. “She strives to push the limits of what she can learn by doing things like helping create a Chemistry 999 [course] in the fall or asking critical questions in her classes,” Goyal said.
Adding on to her intellectual curiosity, senior Connie Cai also observed the passion Bade brings to science classes that they share. “She always asks the tough questions in class,” Cai said. “She always wants to fully understand a situation and doesn’t accept just a surface-level answer.”
Bade’s peers also highlighted her cheerful and sociable personality. Senior Carissa Chen, Bade’s roommate, always feels inspired to be more “hardworking and to act with compassion” because of Bade. “She always lights up my day—she’s my roommate, and when I come back, I always love hearing about how she’s doing. She’s the person who smiles to you on the sidewalk, the friend who asks if you’re okay on a bad day, the captain who makes the tennis team laugh,” she said. Cai echoed Chen’s sentiments and praised Bade for her honesty personality. “I can always count on Divya for an honest, truthful opinion,” Cai added. “She’s never afraid to voice her concerns.” Goyal described the senior as “incredible” and showed admiration for her ability to always be “up and available to talk to a friend in need.”
Since coming to Exeter, Bade has developed not only as a student but a person as well. According to Bade, Exeter made her more confident about herself. She’s learned to embrace who she is and be less concerned about others’ views on her. “I think I’ve become more aware of who I am and more unapologetically myself. I care much less about what people think about me and more about how I feel about myself, and I thank Exeter for giving me that confidence,” she said.