The Thacher School - Review #26

Thacher has a unique environment that allows for individuals to truly express themselves. This environment results from the close student-teacher relationships and outdoor program. By the end of my four years at Thacher, many of my teachers had become my friends. I felt comfortable with them and could talk to them, may it be about class or other things, very easily. The outdoor program, which includes the horse program, is also crucial. Every freshman has to care for their horse 7 days a week, and cleaning up after a horse at 6:30 am creates a unique bond between all of the freshman. By the end of your four years at Thacher, you feel as if everyone there is your family and as such, you can be yourself around them.

The best thing that ever happened to me was junior year. In my junior year, I realized my true self, and began to express myself. I am now more confident and am not afraid to stand up for what I believe or to be my true self. Words cannot explain how much I value/love my time at Thacher. It made me who I am today.

I would have been myself during the first two years. Like many kids in their early teenage years, I was struggling to find myself and eventually did in my junior year.

Everything. There is not one singular thing that I liked most about the school. I think about it everyday and miss everything about it.

Explore the area surrounding the campus. Go running on the trails up in the mountains. Morgan Barnes, although challenging, is one of the most rewarding runs I have ever experienced. Also, run to town. You can take your time, push yourself, or just explore the Ojai. Good times.

My favorite part about the academics is the teachers. I felt comfortable with my teachers and could approach them easily. They were always very helpful and eager to help clear up any confusion. Some of my teachers became my friends, which created an optimal environment for learning. Although they were my friends, I gave them the respect they deserved. Now that I am at college, I truly realize how important those relationships were and how much I miss them. Many of my teachers were also understanding about the rigors of other classes. If you were to have a particularly hard night and not be able to finish all of your work, many teachers were more than happy to grant some leniency. The classes that I took inspired me to work at my full potential. Especially in my senior year, my classes were incredibly interesting and I enjoyed going to them every day. My teachers pushed me to explore my true potential. In many of my classes, I looked forward to doing my work.

The coaching and competitiveness of the athletics were what I liked most. I mainly participated in JV sports, which were competitive enough so that you would work hard but no so much that it ruled your life. I loved getting psyched up for games and playing my heart out. We had fun playing the sports but when it came time to games, we were serious. We could joke around during practices but we always got the job done. We had more heart than any other team in our league. This phenomenon also resulted from the incredible coaching. The coaches pushed us to work hard and try new things. They didn't care if we failed; they only wanted us to play hard.

I was not really a part of these programs. I did participate in Photo, and greatly enjoyed that. I also played the guitar while at Thacher and managed to find friends to perform songs with during Coffee Houses.

The majority of the time in my senior year was occupied by my position as the School Chairman. I enjoyed getting to work closely with the Administration and trying to change the school for the better. In the free time that I did have, I volunteered at the local pre-school. I looked forward to my volunteering every week. It brightened up my day every time I went. Playing with four year old children helped me relax and think about something other than work. It made me realize that some of the things I was worrying about were not that serious.

I loved dorm life. I loved being with my friends 24/7. Having a single room during your freshman year is also helpful. It is nice to have some privacy during that time. Having a roommate can also be a wonderful thing too, but during your later year. I had a roommate during my sophomore and junior years and especially in my junior year, it helped keep me entertained and happy.

Formal dinner, although it seems like it would not be fun, is a crucial part to the Thacher experience. Formal dinner brings together people from different classes, different groups of friends, and teachers, and forces them to sit down, relax, eat dinner, and get to know each other. Brunch is also a wonderful thing. Sometimes I found myself spending over two hours in the Dining Hall on a lazy Sunday afternoon, relaxing, eating, and hanging out with my friends.

Ojai is an interesting place. I loved running to town. It has an INCREDIBLE burrito place... Rubens. If you visit Thacher, I would recommend going to Rubens. I went every week, without fail. By the end of my four years, the owner knew me by name and my order. I miss Rubens.

The friends you make at Thacher are unlike any other friends you will ever make. There is a familiarity between everyone at Thacher. I always feel comfortable with Thacher people and miss them more than words can explain. Because of the unique environment of Thacher, people can be themselves, which allows for interesting and lively social activities. I loved jumping around at dances, acting like a fool, and getting "down" with my closest friends.