Hands Up for the Weekend

By: Emma Reed

Saturday began as most Saturdays at the Academy do, a quiet sleepiness blanketing the Academy. The only difference was that this week instead of recovering from classes, we were exhausted from the endless tasks of GROWeek (Gatton Residential Orientation Week). The juniors were ready for some sleep after a week of constant information including Beth’s famous handbook talk, a research fair, and many other events. For the seniors, the sleep was more in preparation of the college apps and the challenging classes of the coming semester.

Around noon the Academy began to awake and by three, the vibrant sounds of laughter and fun were floating down the hall. Despite the rain, some ventured out to the mall and other shopping destinations. As evening grew near, the camaraderie only grew stronger with music and ping pong in the fourth floor commons, conversations throughout the building, and the ever present piano in the lobby. As we closed the day with the ever popular karaoke, I thought back to my own adventure week (GROWeek).

It’s hard not to have fun in a place like this. I remember the endless lectures of adventure week that left little time for free time. I remember as the weekend came, we finally got the chance to explore the world around us. While the first weekend is a rush to finish errands and prepare for the returning seniors, I have enjoyed watching each junior grow into their freedom even in this short time. I can only hope that I get the pleasure to watch as the semester goes on.