George School - Review #4

George School is a special place. Whether it be the teaching style or the required service learning project, GS has a way of giving everything a unique twist. For example, I was lucky enough to be able to travel to Uganda for my spring break during my senior year. Most schools require some kind of service, but being able to travel around the world with 2 teachers and a group of classmates is completely life changing. Also, the Quaker aspect of GS makes it extremely unique. The respect between teachers and students goes both ways, and by the time graduation comes around, GS students are fully prepared for not only college courses and academics, but also for living in a dorm and being responsible for yourself and your work.

I have changed in many ways than I could even imagine at GS. I have become a dedicated and serious student, I have made incredible friends, I have done service locally and internationally, I have played on many different sports teams, and I have learned how to be a responsible young adult. The best thing that ever happened to me at George School was learning about how to balance my outer self and my inner self. I learned how to be alone and not lonely. I learned how to manage my time and make sure I am not sacrificing myself or my health for others.

I would definitely say that it is important to make the most of the time you have with your friends because when you have to leave them, it will be one of the hardest things you will ever do. Don’t worry too much about what people think about you, GS is one of the most accepting places in the world I think. Don’t let one bad grade define you. If you’re working hard and doing your best, that’s all you can do.

The friends that I made at George School are unlike the friends that I have met anywhere else. My religion teacher (Tom Hopes - an icon) always used to say that the one thing George School really teaches it's students is how to be a good friend and I would really agree with that. My friends in my dorm are like my sisters and I still keep in contact with them. I graduate in 13 days and I can say that George School has made me a better friend, student, and citizen of the world.

Best dorm is Central for girls, Upper Drayton for boys. Best snack at Bettye’s place is either Cookie Bar a la Mode or mozzarella sticks. Best place on campus is Admissions Porch, Red Square, or the cherry blossom trail on South Lawn.

George School not only prides itself on being inclusive, socially aware, and service-oriented, but also on its prestigious academics. Class sizes are kept small, teachers are almost always available for consultation, and the class environment encourages curiosity. My favorite part of the academics at George School is the fact that we get to learn about things that really interest us personally. During my senior year, I did two different projects for my International Woman's History class and my Peace Studies class. One was about the importance of comprehensive, factually accurate sex education and the other about the injustice of teachers being able to carry guns with them at school. Both of these topics are not only very current, but also cover things that I am interested in and plan to use in my career one day.

Every student at GS is required to play a sport, be in the term theater production, or take a PE class each term. There are multiple sports and PE classes available each term, from football and basketball to yoga and weight training. The great thing about athletics at GS is definitely our incredible facilities, including the FAC (Fitness & Athletic Center), multiple sports fields, and a brand new track with a turf football field. The FAC is one of the newest buildings on campus and holds two gyms, an incredible weight room, a pool, an athletic training center, and a million other rooms and features. Everyday after school most of the students at GS make their way to the FAC to get ready for sports, be a manager for a team, or just work out and hang with friends. Most of the sports teams are a part of the Friends League, but we played out of league a lot too. This gives athletes a good chance to meet people from other schools as well.

I never participated in any of the performance arts, but I took photography for two years. The resources that students are given to create are absolutely incredible. One of my favorite places on campus is definitely the dark room in the photo lab because it is very peaceful and I can really get into printing. GS is very dedicated to the arts, and is constantly looking for new things to add to the programs.

One of my favorite extracurriculars at GS is the Cheese Club. Every few months a group gets together to eat cheese and talk about random things that they’ve had on their minds recently. It’s a really cool way to meet new people, and it’s a lot of fun. Best part about it is that GS funds the club so we get free cheese!

Living in the dorm is one of the best experiences I have ever had. I was randomly assigned a roommate my first year, but I was able to pick my roommate for my Junior and Senior years which I was very happy about. Over the summer, you will fill out a survey and the school will do their best to match you with someone similar, which sometimes works really well and sometimes not as well. It is rare for people to switch roommates or dorms, but it does happen every year at least once. I have always been happy with my dorm situation though.

The dining hall at GS is one of the most controversial places on campus. While the food service provider, Culinart, works hard to stay sustainable and provide diverse foods for everyone, they don't always end up making food that everyone likes. For a boarding school dining hall is good. There are many ways you can make your own food and also heat up leftovers. There is no assigned seating.

Newtown is one of the cutest towns ever. GS is right across the street from a grocery store, a RiteAid, a dry-cleaners, a bank, a nail salon, a pizza place (Tre’s) and a ton of other restaurants and useful places. The actual town of Newtown is 5 minutes down the road (driving) but there is a bridge that students can take over the highway that leads straight into Newtown. There are tons of popular places there, such as Starbucks, Chick-fil-a, Wendy’s, Athleta, Anthropolagie, and other small clothing boutiques. There are also 2 malls within 20 minutes. Great town all around.

The social life at GS is great. I was always with my friends because I found that I could be friends with pretty much anyone. GS is a very supportive place, and everyone is doing the same thing (pretty much) so we have each other to lean on when things get stressful or overwhelming. There’s always something to do on the weekends whether it be driving to the mall to see a movie or making cookies in Marshall (the student center).