Haverford is special in large part because of the sense of community it imbues in us. It gives us laughter on cold rainy nights or hope when everything’s going wrong outside. It makes us feel alive and a part of something greater than ourselves.
People often forget that this community is fostered not only at sports events or outside of school, but also during the school day. We are one of the only schools that has a designated Community period every day.
So, here are my rankings of the Community periods that make us look forward to school every day.
Sixth Place: Clubs Period. While clubs might not be the ideal way to enjoy 25 minutes, it certainly is a time to push your intellectual curiosity through practically any interest you have. You get to connect with peers you’ve never met before in a shared interest or hobby. Every classroom turns into a haven for our wildest ideas and dreams.
Fifth Place: Poetry Out Loud. Poetry is a way of expressing intense emotions in a less common form of art. We also all laugh with the poetry performer, often over something as simple as many, many bells.
Fourth Place: The Student vs. Faculty Basketball Game. Apart from the fact that more than 300 students fill the stands and hype up the representative students, the atmosphere is electric. Haverford rarely sees numbers like that before in the stands, although we are hopeful for those kinds of numbers as the Inter-Ac season begins. Somehow, the game ends up close every year, and the additional dress-down day is an enjoyable benefit.
The zenith of Haverford’s community comes during the best time of the year, in a small decorated room meant for community. The holiday event in the Durham Community Room has Christmas movies, songs, cookies, and hot cocoa for all to enjoy.
Third Place: The Halloween Assembly. At this time of year, Inter-Ac games are in full swing, the campus is decorated in maroon and gold leaves, and energy couldn’t be higher as everyone looks forward to the holidays. The creativity and surprises in the Halloween assembly always impress me, as well as the Sixth Formers’ commitment to the tradition. The costumes are consistently funny, often displaying individual and group imagination, and they never fail to get the whole school laughing together.
Second Place: Haverford’s Got Talent. In the talent show, the brotherhood lifts each other, and we get to see hidden talents we’ve never seen before. It highlights the best parts of this school. When you’re in Centennial Hall with your friends, getting hyped up at a song from Hamilton, there isn’t any other place you’d want to be, except for the number-one spot.
First Place: The Holiday Event. The zenith of Haverford’s community comes during the best time of the year, in a small decorated room meant for community. The holiday event in the Durham Community Room has Christmas movies, songs, cookies, and hot cocoa for all to enjoy. Right before the two-week winter break, this event fills our hearts with spirit. The celebration is something we all deserve, and it’s these moments that make this school stand apart from others. Not only because of the camaraderie, but also because no matter what we are individually going through, we can lean on our brothers while they take us into their open, friendly arms and smile.
You must be logged in to post a comment.