<p>For current students:</p>
<p>What are the things new students at boarding school should know? What is social suicide? What is cool? What should we do to the teachers so they are nice to us?</p>
<p>do work hard, don’t slack off</p>
<p>don’t be the loud obnoxious freshman who tries to be best friends with the senior jocks… bad move. </p>
<p>do try and be friends with people, even if they tick you off a bit - you’re living with them for the next four years!!</p>
<p>don’t do illegal things… lots of people think that going to boarding school means that you can party a ton and get away with it. You can’t. </p>
<p>Do follow the rules the first few weeks… then you learn how to bend them ;-)</p>
<p>Don’t make noise if you aren’t on varsity, even though you were the star in middle school… same goes for awards in arts, academics, and athletics. </p>
<p>Do be social - go to dances, be active in the community, etc.</p>
<p>DONT be mean. Gives you a really bad rep with upperclassmen. And this is boarding school - teaches find things out… coaches too. If you start a fight or a rumor, they’re going to catch wind somehow. Thats a good thing to remember - everything you do is seen/heard by someone else… you’re living together. It’s about mutual respect. </p>
<p>On that note - have respect for yourself and for the people you’re living with. Please clean up after yourself. It makes life a lot better! And you don’t want to be known as the messy freshman on the floor that cant take care of herself, ya know?</p>
<p>Just be yourself! Boarding school can be a ton of fun, embrace it! These are friends your going to have for the rest of your life :D</p>
<p>That was really helpful!! Thanks.</p>
<p>Yeah thanks!</p>
<p>:) no problem - anybody have anything else to add?</p>
<p>Don’t brag about your new school to others. As my headmaster put it, “We are elite, not elitist.”</p>
<p>^Definitely.</p>
<p>facbrat, you go to Peddie, right?</p>
<p>PARTICIPATE.</p>
<p>That one is kind of a no-brainer. But really. Even if you think whatever you are going to say is stupid, say it anyways. Most boarding schools have a discussion based learning system and what you say could lead to a groundbreaking revelation in the classroom (okay, slight exaggeration). </p>
<p>Also, get to know your campus thoroughly. You never know when you’ll find a great hang out spot… or hook up spot… :)</p>
<p>Yep, I go to Peddie.</p>
<p>Don’t try to impress your teachers. We’ve taught many VERY impressive students. We’re not impressed by your trying to impress us. Have the courage to be yourself. If you don’t know something, say so and ask questions. We like and respect kids who are not afraid of being kids, or of admitting their ignorance, fears, and insecurities. That having been said, also try to be proactive and resourceful. If you miss class, don’t show up the next day and say, “I wasn’t here, so I didn’t know what the homework was.” FIND OUT! Call a classmate, e-mail your teacher, ask someone in your dorm for help, DO something. You’re not expected to have all the answers, but you ARE expected to work on getting the answers you need, without waiting for things to drop into your lap.</p>
<p>@PEAteacher, thanks so much!</p>
<p>the problem i have with some preps is that a lot of them were really smart kids from their previous schools and are very full of themselves. </p>
<p>also, preps should not be intimidated by the other grades. new lowers are kind of like preps anyways, and there are plenty of new lowers. a lot of preps hang out with other preps only, but that’s not really a good way of going about the Exeter experience. you have jstuds and spaz to hang out with preps; you should also make an attempt to get to know your dorm.</p>
<p>also expect the first term to be easy and the 2nd term to suddenly be more difficult. the transition from jstuds to english is a rather difficult one from what I heard. </p>
<p>suddenly given freedom, a lot of preps (new students in general, but preps particularly) start pursuing relationships that last for a week or several. </p>
<p>also just remember that there will be tough times, but what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. and don’t procrastinate. preps should not be pulling allnighters.</p>
<p>Boarding school is life in a fishbowl. Everyone can see pretty much everything you do and hear everything you say. There are no secrets at boarding school.</p>
<p>That being said, I can say.</p>
<p>1) First, be honest with yourself. If you don’t know the answer or can’t deal with something, accept that. This will help keep you honest with others.</p>
<p>2) Second, be honest with others - and if you don’t wish to be honest (sometimes you don’t want to be part of the drama), don’t put yourself in a situation where your honesty will cause others harm. That means stay away from people who are causing trouble so you have nothing negative to say. It also means hang with people who will accept people who are other than perfect. It makes it a lot easier to be honest.</p>
<p>3) Learn to identify and stick with people who follow the two items above.</p>
<p>DO call your mom every once in while. She’ll miss you. :)</p>
<p>And don’t forget the Dad as well, especially if you want the next check in the mail.</p>
<p>Pulsar… lol.</p>
<p>^ my mom wants me to vc and call everyday…not happening</p>
<p>If my son wants a check, he needs to call him MOM.</p>
<p>What do I say to my mom if she wants me to call EVERY night?</p>