Boarding school is a unique experience. Where students learn is also where they sleep. Boarders see their teachers and superiors not only outside of class, but also in their pajamas at 2 am during a fire drill. By day, their home is an institution of higher learning. Educators and administrators occupy offices that are closed and largely irrelevant to the students’ evening life. However, combined with living at school, the daily and, subsequent, weekly rhythm of boarding school is what gives it its charm. Woven in this rhythm are traditions, and commitment to the students themselves and all aspects of their experience.
Here are ten things that you will most likely find weekly at boarding schools:
1. Events: Salem is rooted in tradition, as are most boarding schools. This past Tuesday, we had Ring Banquet, where seniors sprint down a runway dressed to the nines and retrieve a ring they have waited three years to get. The week before, we had Smoosh Cake. Seniors received pieces of cake filled with charms to tell them their futures. The week before that, it was the Athletic Picnic, where freshman were sorted as a school color, either purple or gold, and were covered in shaving cream, officially welcomed by their Salem Sisters.
2. T-shirts: For almost every event, there is an accompanying t-shirt. Pre-season shirts, Freshman Retreat shirts, Senior Retreat shirts, and Athletic Picnic shirts have already been distributed over the past four weeks.
3. Room Check: At Salem, Room Check happens every Tuesday night. Student’s beds must be made. Trash must be taken out, floors clear, and rice cookers and Christmas lights will be confiscated if present in a student’s room.
4. Food Run (or the like): Boarding schools provide runs for their students multiple times a week so they have chances to leave campus and exercise their independence. Wednesday nights House Staff, such as myself, drive bus loads of students on Food Run where students have an hour to go to Starbucks, Trader Joe’s, etc and relax with their friends.
5. Meetings: Whether it’s hall meetings, staff meetings, club meetings, or advisor/advisee meetings, there are always meetings.
6. Late Night: House Staff Members are responsible for one night of Late Night Duty a week. It lasts from 10pm till 12:30am, the final lights out time. One is tired and one does not understand why the students aren’t in bed when all one wants to do is go to bed.
7. Assembly: Assembly actually occurs daily. The Dean of Students makes announcements. Students raise their hands and stand to make their own announcements, asking whoever has been eating their food out of the boarder kitchen to please stop or just ask if they can have some before taking it. Someone has lost their shoes. Habitat for Humanity is helping install a kitchen Saturday morning.
8. Cookies: Every day after morning classes, students get cookies. This is a daily rather than weekly tradition and probably unique to Salem, as boarding schools have their own specific mores, but, every day, Salem students get cookies.
9. Demerits: Demerits are not fun to give out and not fun to get. They reset every week but they add up, and you can find yourself in Friday night study hall if you miss check in three nights in a row.
10. Weekend Activities: In addition to Food Run and school events, there is also an activity every weekend. Whether it is Scarowinds, a dance at another boarding school, or a ski trip to West Virginia, there is always something fun planned for students over the weekend.
