Senior of The Week: Rina Fujii

Courtesy of Amélie Hespel / The Exonian

By CARLY CANSECO, WILLIAM INOUE, SOPHIE JAFFER, and ALLEGRA LAI

Weights clang and bikes whir on a rare, busy day at Ransome Gym. It lacks the bright green turf, shiny new weights, and upbeat music blasting in the neighboring Downer Family Gym. However, its rustic, peaceful environment attracts those seeking a quiet abode to exercise. Senior Rina Fujii is an avid fan of this corner of Exeter.

Hailing from Tokyo, Japan, Fujii has attended boarding school since she was eight years old. Throughout her time in these schools, English was a challenge to her in class discussions. “As an international student whose second language is English, I often felt overlooked in class discussions,” Fujii said. Despite that, she has been known to show resilience and maintain a contagiously kind personality. 

During her four years at Exeter, Fujii has made strong relationships and left lasting first impressions with many. “Rina and I met during our prep fall, and we were both in Wheelwright together,” senior Jannah Maguire recalled. “She was just always very easy to talk to, really fun, and just has a very welcoming presence. It was super helpful for me, especially during prep fall when it was hard to be away from home.”

Fujii’s friends gushed about her candor and authenticity “I really appreciate her honesty,” senior Emma Sordi said. “She’s not one to lie to you about things you do wrong or things you shouldn’t be doing. Rina will be very real with you and set you on the right track.”

Maguire agreed, “She is very open and she gives really good advice. When I need someone to give me the right guidance and not gloss things over, I’ll always go to Rina.”

Senior Steph Handte also spoke to Fujii’s selflessness, which comes with her ability to understand and give advice. “She’s very emotionally intelligent and the way she presents herself is very strong. She knows when I’m having a bad day and she knows what to say. I think that’s one of the best things about her is that she’s understanding on a different level.”

“Rina’s just a lovely spirit,” senior Dara Ogunwale added. “She’s very kind and she has a warm heart.” 

“She’s super funny-- she can always make you laugh,” senior Meira Wohl said.

“Rina might be one of the funniest people I know, and I can’t imagine my life now without her jokes. I also admire her dedication to anything, from her friendships to her obsession with the gym,” commented senior Amelie Hespel.

Unsurprisingly, many of Fujii’s friends have attested to her prowess in the gym. “The gym has brought me closer with new friends and is a therapeutic form of self-care for me,” Fujii explained.  

“Rina and I go to the gym every week and she’s like my personal coach. She guides me through all the exercises and I always leave extremely sore, but it’s fun because I know it’s worth it,” Ogunwale said. 

“My favorite thing to do with Rina is go to Stillwells. She understands my obsession. People will get bored of it, but Rina and I, we never get bored of it, and she won’t judge me for the toppings I put on,” Handte added. 

In addition, Rina also mentioned her love for long walks in town, particularly if it means she can converse with friends and get to know them more. “I’ve always loved the long walk to Hannafords — Jannah and I started walking there our prep year, and it’s become a tradition for us every term. I’ve done it alone in the past, and it’s just a great way to clear my mind and pick up my favorite snacks. I also feel like whenever I make a new friend, I love walking to Walgreens or Las Olas with them because it just gives us time to converse and get to know each other more.”

At Exeter, Fujii is the co-head of Females for Finance and Japanese American Society. She has met and developed new relationships with people from all grades in these clubs. Lower Hugo Shinn mentioned, “When I first came to Exeter I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to find people with similar identities. But when I met Rina she introduced me to the Japanese American Society that was full of people similar to me. She was great in approaching me, understanding my issue, and helping me resolve that. Because of what she did I was able to quickly absorb the Exeter environment and get myself on track.” 

Similarly, Rina’s personality has shined through in her role as a leader for the International Student Orientation program.“I met Rina in ISO because she was one of my mentors last year and we became friends because we were in the same chemistry class all year,” Wohl explained. 

Senior Grace Benson shared a message for Fujii. “Rina has been an incredible friend and roommate for the past four years. Walking into our tiny room on the first day of school, not knowing a single person or what my life would be like or how to live without my parents, Rina was there for me and we figured all of it out together. I have so much to appreciate her for, and I hope everyone gets to have a friend like her in their lives.”

Hespel added her own message to Fujii: “Rina, over the past few months, you’ve turned into a sister to me. I treasure our memories so much, and I can’t wait to make more.”

“Keep shining, Rina,” Ogunwale concluded.