Memorial Day weekend: the weekend every student taking summer classes looks forward to. While most of my peers went to the beach for the holiday, I went home. Home in the literal and figurative sense. Home to the actual house I live in, as well as the boarding school on a hill I spent my high school career at.
For the past four years, Memorial Day weekend has always meant commencement weekend, but this time was different for me. This was the first time I would set foot on campus not as a student, but as an alumna. Reminiscing with my fellow graduates and seeing the class of 2016 clad in their senior blazers brought back a myriad of memories; memories that lead me to a series of realizations that only boarding school graduates can have.
1. People will always ask how much your school resembled Hogwarts. Always.
Let's face it, all we needed was the sorting hat.
2. The Harkness Method
No other schools used it, but at least it made texting under the table much easier.
3. Majority of your high school friends live in different countries.
4. You rep your school more than your university.
5. 20 years from now you’ll still be able to sing your school’s fight song
6. Because your university rivalry can never compare to your high school’s.
7. There are more places to socialize on campus than the library.
What do you mean we can’t talk in here?
8. You miss quiet hours. A lot.
9. The chapel bells before seated dinner.
Nuff said.
10. Seated dinner
Because you all looked classy af.
11. Everyone will ask you how to do laundry (and to iron their clothes).
Because obviously you’ve done your fair share of both.
12. No one understands your boarding school lingo.
Third former = freshman, fourth = sophomores, fifth = juniors, and sixth = seniors. Easy, right?
13. Your high school roommate will be your standard.
14. No Saturday classes.
Hallelujah
15. You’re way more comfortable changing in the dorm than everyone else.
What is modesty?
16. Public speaking is a cinch.
Presentation tomorrow? No biggie.
17. The appeal of “going away to college” is lost on you
Because been there done that.
18. No matter what, your boarding school will always be part of your identity.
19. Because it was your first home away from home and shaped you into the person you are today.
20. And finally, you realize that life will never be the same again.
"Everything is going to change now, isn't it?"
