Adventure Awaits as Class of 2013 Arrives on Campus

by Sammi Hawtrey, Academy Avatar

Piles of boxes were strewn about the hallways. Green-clad Community Leaders  bustled in and out of Schneider Hall like a line of busy ants.  Students and parents wandered through the building with looks of eagerness and nervous anticipation plastered across their faces. Residential Counselors waited in their common areas with organized piles of keys, contact information, and room reports. What could be the cause of such commotion?

It must be move-in day.

Emotions ran high as juniors arrived at the white, limestone building that would be their home for the next two years.

“My first thought when I got here was ‘Wow, I’m gonna like it here’,” said Chance Anderson.

The juniors’ arrival marks the start of Adventure Week, during which they will undergo a series of information sessions, instructional seminars, and team-building activities given by the academy staff. These events are designed to help prepare students for the rigors of life at the academy, while enabling them to forge lasting friendships in the process.

Some students have experienced a far wider range of sensations. “I feel very excited, but also a bit nauseous. But I am definitely ready for the independence,” commented Lauren Shields.

However, certain juniors know only one emotion: excitement. Chiraag Kapadia stated animatedly, “I could probably explode with excitement right now”.

A mixture of elation and anxiousness seems to be the common theme for both students and parents, but the eager anticipation certainly overrules anxiety. Parents and students alike recognize that the upcoming year holds boundless promise, and all are looking forward to the many opportunities it will present.

As Alex Gutierrez,  a returning senior and Community Developer, was excited about the impact the incoming juniors will have on his wing. “These guys will bring a wide variety of personalities to each wing, defining it in new and different ways”, he says. “I can’t wait to see what new traditions we establish this year.”

While transitioning into a new living environment can be stressful and a little bit scary at times, it seems that students are certainly looking forward to the upcoming year. If the outcome of the juniors experience at the Academy can be determined by a single day, it would seem that the next two years will truly be fantastic.