As we reported here earlier this month, we recently ran our traditional “Senior-Young Alumni Lunch,” during which Field graduates return to campus to share with our college-bound seniors the details of life at the next level: roommates, professors, dining hall food, choosing classes, missing home, and other important topics.
Here are two reflections on that day from participants. First from Rico, a current senior at Field, then from Anna Rock ’11, currently a freshman at Sarah Lawrence in New York.
RICO
Looking ahead a few months to college, I am trying to prepare myself. I am quite nervous on how this change will effect me, and this Alumni Day eased those nerves. Seeing the familiar faces from years ago was a joy for me. The returning alumni are students I look up to, kids who came from the same place I have, and now have experiences I will soon live through myself. Their words were valuable because I knew they were sincere—they shared with us what is real.
Listening to the stories, I could tell that students don’t have the same college experiences everywhere, but there were common themes. Every last alum mentioned putting in effort, not getting discouraged, or not getting too crazy with your new life. In other words, college freshman have to balance their time wisely. Even the students who are freshmen this year have started to see this, and are now applying it to themselves. This lets me know that everything will be fine, as long as I keep my head straight.
Heading into the final stretch for high school, I have been doing a lot of reflecting. I am glad to see so many alumni return to school to inform the next batch of freshmen. I myself will return to enlighten my other fellow field scholars and spread my experiences so younger students will have a better understanding of what college will be like.
ANNA ROCK
As a college freshman, I’ve learned that very few of my current classmates had an enjoyable time high school. If asked, many would scoff at the invitation to return and heartily guffaw when requested to speak to current students about college life. A sad addition to this crowd are people who had a delightful four years in high school yet are afraid to return and share their feelings and experiences.
Walking through the doors of The Field School as an alum to participate in a discussion about college was easy for me, however. Field graduates are fortunate that their time in high school and middle school is generally something they treasure. Revisiting Field allows us to see friends who are students as well teachers—to share memories and revisit experiences from the school’s close community. These relationships allow the senior-alumni lunch to flow smoothly, in a fashion similar to sharing a family dinner at the end of the day.
Because each senior and alum are familiar with the many unique aspects of Field, it was easy to discuss the advantages and challenges that students encounter when transitioning from high school to college. Some seniors sought colleges that are quite different from Field, and it was interesting to hear the reasons for their choices. The discussion progressed as alumni answered questions about aspects such as schoolwork, professors and athletics.
It was comforting to rejoin the Field community and to be among friends as a new alum. It was a true example of how leaving as a student did not eliminate my place in the Field School family. Rather, it secured my sense of belonging, knowing that Field will always be a part of who I am.
