<p>I am a junior and loving board school but it is NOT easy. If you want to sit around and chill all day, it is not the place for you. BUT if you want to learn, meet lots of new people, and have great sports and activities, this is the place for you. Have to remember though it is going to be a lot of work but is still a GREAT experience.</p>
<p>Please excuse typos or grammatical faux pas, I’m pressed for time but can’t remain silent!</p>
<p>I graduated from Exeter last June, so I obviously have a huge bias in this conversation. But some of what you guys said upset me, because it was so far from the Exeter I experienced, and so far from the Exeter I want others to see.</p>
<pre><code>I only went for two years, but they were the best two years of my life. (Note, I’ve had a pretty nice life thus far, so that’s really saying something.) Even in the most miserable moments, I never wished to be home. I might have wished for it to be Saturday afternoon so I could just go crash in my room, but that’s a different story.
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<p>With new people, place, and practices, your mentality it bound to change. That’s what I found best about Exeter. I realize that it’s normal for changes to occur between ages 16 and 18, but mine were extreme. I came out of it much more self-sufficient, inquisitive, and motivated than my friends who had remained in public school. On a purely academic level, I went from a mediocre writer to a decent one, although above all, Harkness teaches one to b.s. on any given topic, which is a really valuable skill. You learn valuable skills, no matter the subject matter. (And to be honest, sometimes the subject matter is lacking, but hey, such is life.)
Exeter, like any intense school, gives you chance after chance to fail, and happily, you do. And then you pick yourself up and keep running, because everyone wants you to succeed. Teachers, dorm faculty, friends, teammates, Exonians in general are a really good crowd. Even if they were shy, or space cadets, on the path when you visited, when you get there, they’ll stop and chat and genuinely care where you’re going, what you’re doing.
You learn to manage your time, keep in touch, at least minimally, and communicate well with both peers and authority. The workload is large, but manageable. You just have to keep track of long-term vs. short-term, and get your internet research and facebooking done before 11pm. You spend a lot of time reflecting, which gets you in touch with yourself. Social service opportunities are endless, so interacting with the real world teaches you a thing or two as well.
On a purely “fun” level, you are constantly surrounded by friends. Eating, working, playing, and sleeping, if you choose. That means that while occasionally you miss your privacy, you can keep up a basal level of good-humor. The school tries to give you options during your free hours, but really, it is what you make of it, because some of those options are notoriously lame. Things like DRAMAT are always fun, whether you’re performing, producing, or just watching.</p>
<p>I have so much to say on this subject that it might be better if I just shut up now. But if you have questions, impertinent or not, feel free to PM me, I’d love to talk to you.</p>