Adventure Week: Adjusting to Academy Life

By Lydia Buzzard and Jenna Willett

Every year, students going back to school have to adjust to new classes, new teachers, new classmates, and sometimes new schools. Gatton Academy students are no exception.

After three nights at the Academy, homesickness among the juniors is surprisingly scant. If there are any moments of loneliness, fellow students are never more than one door down, and parents are always a phone call away. Saadia Akhtar said, “When I first came here, I had my doubts and I missed my friends, but it’s been very easy to make new ones because everyone is so nice.” Kindness has quickly become common courtesy among the Juniors. Some of the students, including Rodrigo Daboin-Sanchez, have already formed lasting bonds with their classmates. Rigo, as he is known by his peers, said, “Everyone is like one big family.”

Students have connected over a plethora of activities: capture the flag, board games, conversation circles, and daily meal times. The fourth floor common area has become a hub of social activity providing a firm foundation for friendships among students from all walks of life. Shared interests include music, movies, video games, and literature, all of which have taken on starring roles in student conversations. If ever present smiles and echoing staircases of laughter are any indication, then this year’s Gatton Academy juniors are adjusting splendidly.