Andres '24

As my Fifth Form year begins to come to a close, the amount of exams and homework is definitely increasing, but the warm weather makes it all worth it. As a celebration for finishing this year's Advanced Placement (AP) exams, two friends and I ordered some food to de-stress.

As part of the Model Congress Club on campus, I spent the past weekend at Harvard’s Model Congress (HMC) in Boston. Model Congress is a type of debate where one represents a senator or representative in a mock-congressional session. This weekend was especially noteworthy for two reasons: the academic learning I had during the conferences and the memories I created exploring Boston with my classmates.

Since the beginning of this year, I've had the awesome responsibility of being the head of the Black & Latinx Alliance (BLA). This affinity group is focused on creating and strengthening the Black and Latinx community on the Circle, so we are always organizing fun events to bring this community together. Because the holiday season was approaching, my co-heads and I decided it was the perfect moment to organize Christmas cookie baking and decorating!

After an intense and study-filled exam week, I was excited to escape the cold New England weather to sunny, warm Mexico City. I spent the next ten days of break doing a combination of three things: eating, catching up with family, and, of course, cheering Mexico’s national soccer team.

When I arrived back on campus after three months, I was eager to reconnect with my friends, begin the cross country season, and decorate my new room. One of the quintessential boarding school experiences is to personalize your dorm room, and I was lucky enough to get a two-story room; my roommate (Zack ‘24) and I had so much space to fill! Therefore, Zack and I got to work in order to make our room feel cozy, homey, and unique.

Since middle school, I have always been intrigued by foreign affairs, policy, and international relations. Therefore, this summer I decided to apply to a two-week international affairs and development course with the New York Times. The course was in Washington, DC, where I met many interesting people and had the opportunity to explore a new city.

By far, the biggest challenges of attending boarding school are living far from my family and finding the time to continue fostering memories with my siblings. Therefore, my two older siblings and I decided that this summer was the perfect time to pack a bag, board a flight, and explore the world. For a whole month, just the three of us backpacked, jumping from city to city by bus or train, through Europe!

A major milestone for a Fourth Former at Groton is to complete two research papers for World and the West, a year-long history class. These research papers take months of hard work and are a big accomplishment for those taking World and the West. Over the last three months, I wrote my second research paper for this class, and it was an amazing project.

After a few months of a snow-filled Circle, there is nothing better than to hear the birds chirping and see blooming flowers all around campus. The Circle, once covered in snow, is now full of students enjoying the green grass and sunshine (and the view of the Schoolhouse!). Once it hits 80 degrees, my friends and I know it’s time for a quick trip to the boathouse.

For this term’s afternoon activity, I decided to try winter running. Although most people might not find the cold, windy, and snowy New England winter the right weather for a run, the adventure of running through the picturesque snow-filled Groton trails seemed like the perfect challenge for me. After a whole term of running, the winter running team hosted a half-marathon to end the amazing season.

Saturday nights at Groton are exceptional. After everyone finishes school and their games, it is the perfect opportunity to take a break and have some fun! This weekend my friends and I decided to go to the opening basketball game and open skate to relax after our first week back.

As fall term came to an end, a mix of excitement and nervousness filled the atmosphere. Thanksgiving break seemed so close, yet the hardest week of fall term was quickly approaching: Exam Week. Although I am a Fourth Former (sophomore), this was my first ever exam week, as exams were canceled last year due to COVID.

There was no better way to begin the cross-country season than for our second race to be against St Mark's, our rival school, as well as Rivers and BB&N.

Less than two weeks after arriving to the Circle, even before the leaves started to change to fall colors, it was time (at least back home) to celebrate Mexico’s independence. I was both surprised and touched that I was able to bring a small tradition to my friends in Fourth Form.