As the summer begins to wind down, the nerves and excitement that come with seniority are starting to settle in. Actually, who am I kidding? The nerves and excitement have been there since this spring, they’re just growing more intense now than ever. It’s baffling to think how close it is—and how quickly it all went by …
When I was a Second Former, one of the very first things we did in my dorm was listen to some tips our prefects had for Groton life. Many of them stressed the importance of food and sleep (both of which I highly recommend.) But I will never forget what Michael Ma told us then. “You guys gotta savor it,” he said. “It’s all going to go by so fast.” His words were met with a chorus of agreement from the other prefects. Even without words, the looks on their faces said it all.
I’m not going to lie, though. It can be easy to forget “how fast” it’s all supposed to go by when you’re in the thick of it. Groton is hard in so many ways. Whether you’re in your tenth hour of studying for the pig practical, wishing you could have a home-cooked meal, or just struggling to adapt to this crazy environment, you can be left feeling like the world could not move more slowly. Time is a funny thing at Groton. We’re all so busy all the time that everything seems to go by both slowly and quickly.
But the landmarks all kind of sneak up on you. Out of nowhere, you’re suddenly leaving the Lower School dorms in Brooks House for the last time (unless you happen to prefect Lower School, like me!). Then, you’re taking your “halfway” photo with the all the remaining Second Formers. And before you know it, you’re saying goodbye to your very last seniors, and now it’s your turn. I can honestly say that sitting in the senior section of the Chapel last spring was the one of the strangest experiences of my life.
Even as I sit here writing this, I can feel the nerves and the excitement build up even more. There’s so much to look forward to. I can’t wait to meet my Second Formers and get back in the swing of things with all my friends. There is, however, still a lot to be nervous about. When I was a new student, I thought my seniors had it all figured out. They were full adults. I can tell you I don’t feel anything like that. I’m still trying to figure out the magic formula for being a great prefect. But, as the prospect of being a senior and all the responsibilities and work that comes with it draw nearer, I’m beginning to realize there may not be a magic formula. We’re all just going to have figure it out as we go, just like we’ve always done.