Stepping into the warmth of Merrill’s common room, members of the community were greeted with the aroma of steaming cups of chai and the hum of conversation.

Gaudet joined the Academy this school year as a new addition to the English department. The bitter Exeter climate was nothing new to him: not only is he a native of Vermont and New Hampshire, but Gaudet also previously worked at Vermont Academy and the Holderness School, located further north of Exeter, for more than half a decade before making the transition to PEA.

On a chilly winter morning, a slow trudge back from assembly might feature the unexpected belt of an excited Exonian: “Good morning Exeter!” He is your host, Shay Kashif.

On Monday, Feb. 16, senior Ezra Segal claimed first place in the Lincoln-Douglas division at the Harvard National Speech and Debate Tournament. The contest, among the most competitive and prestigious in America, invited over 5,000 students from across the nation and beyond. Over three days of intense preliminary and elimination rounds, Segal emerged victorious from his pool of 250, marking one of the most significant wins in Exeter debate history.

Students describe the winter term as the most draining term. To help students make the most out of it, the Deans have recently promoted different initiatives to improve community engagement and wellness. As cell phones are consuming more of a student’s day, the Deans are trying different incentives to help reduce the dependence on technology, but also help bond the community closer together.

History is a relentless teacher, and its primary lesson for the United States is that the cost of inaction often dwarfs the price of intervention. From the 1994 Rwandan genocide to the ruins of Syria, the “arms-length” approach has repeatedly transformed “never again” into “once more.” Today, as the Islamic Republic of Iran exports terror abroad and executes its own citizens at home, the world’s only superpower faces a familiar moral crossroads.

“Did everyone understand what the break-even point is?” V asked. The forum during the Business Club meeting was silent. But I still do not understand what it is. Everybody else understood. If I asked, they would think I am dumb and slowing them down. The anticipated cringe holds me back and keeps my mouth shut. It is because I do not want to be seen. I cannot bring myself to be vulnerable—to act wholeheartedly under the risk of embarrassment.

Ding! Outlook sent you a reminder: Biology test in 30 minutes. Ding! Ding! Ding! Theater rehearsal in 45, mandatory dorm meeting in an hour, basketball game in two hours… Open your Outlook calendar and tell me. How many hours on average do you spend in classes and doing homework? What about sports? Extracurricular? Or sleep? An average Exonian spends more than six hours on academic endeavors and a similar amount of time on non-academic learning.

In the spring of 1930, Harkness was born. A new and revolutionary learning style was pioneered by philanthropist Edward Harkness. His idea revolutionized the way subjects have been taught here at Exeter for over 75 years and counting. In every Harkness discussion, there is a shark, a mouse, and a frog. The shark scans their text for any information that could be used as a Harkness point.

Over the weekend of Feb. 20 and 21, the wrestling team kicked off their final meet before E/a with a fierce tournament at Prep Nationals. Bringing together the best teams from all across the country, it was a thrilling opportunity for Exeter wrestling to demonstrate their talent to the rest of the nation.

By the time students come to Exeter, they have had at least nine or more years of schooling. These years of education can vary depending on the country a student is from. However, even within the United States, it depends heavily on the state – the United States doesn’t have any mandatory nationwide education standards. Curricula are set by states and local districts. Every student comes in with a base level of education in math, science, English, and history.

Skates scrape across the ice. Pucks slam against the boards. Shouts echo off the walls. In the middle of it all is coach Melissa Pacific, whistle blowing and arms waving as she orchestrates practice for the girls’ JV hockey team.

On Feb. 5, dozens of young girls from the community came to campus to participate in Exeter's first National Girls and Women in Sports Day. Smiles and laughter filled the athletic complex as young girls practiced and competed in everything from field hockey to volleyball and everything in between. Exeter athletes demonstrated what it really means to put Non Sibi into action, as they volunteered to lead this event. It created a space where younger girls had role models to look up to and show them what it means to be a girl in sports.

I paused, stunned by the news. “clavicle noooooooooo-“ The ASU Frat Leader waltzed in with his imposing frame. Years of ascending led to this. A looksmaxxed physique shaped by the gods of his frat, an Olympian (or so we thought….). Clav looked immaculate, after his precise bone-breaking hammering and American Psycho regime.

H-format English. I walk into Phillips Hall, dragging myself up the stairs and sliding into a wooden armchair at the Harkness table. The Sun has already gone to sleep. I yawn as I pull out the novel we are reading in class. It’s written in 1800s English with a million allusions that I don’t understand. What is “Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same” supposed to mean? I search for a pen and clip it onto the page we’re supposed to discuss today.