Gabrielle '10
My first weeks of school are going surprisingly well. Starting The Hill School routine up again can always be a little challenging in the first days of school because you are basically telling yourself, “Ok, summer’s over. Time to do work!” So, the transition period from summer right into school is very fast. It seems like for a sixth former (senior), college is the number one priority everyone is thinking about. The first couple of days of class all I could think about are colleges I visited over the summer. Part of it was the non-stop calls from home I would receive from my parents and a few e-mails regarding the SAT and ACT sign ups. All of the college stuff was getting to my head, especially while dealing with school work, practices, keeping up with club organizations, leadership positions, and social events on the weekends -- all were very hectic at times to juggle! I found myself being compared to a chicken running around with its head cut off. Once I found myself back in the groove I wanted to be in, I could finally take a moment to breathe.
My dorm life is a lot different from the last years of being a boarder. I am a sixth form prefect living in Dell Dorms with my roommate, Elizabeth, and with new third form (freshman) girls. Being a prefect for third formers was not what I expected at all. Yes, the perks of being a prefect I did expect; however the amount of time and effort my roommate and I put into our job amazes us. Don’t get me wrong, Being a prefect in Dell is great! The girls are amazing, the dorm parents are fantastic, and the location is the icing on the cake. Being a prefect is teaching me other ways on how to be responsible. I like for the girls to think of me as their big sister, instead of their prefect. One of the highlights so far this year is a time where our dorm had Tuesday night family night. Luckily, all of the girl’s favorite television show was premiering that night so the whole dorm sat down together and watched it. Seeing all the girls on the couch laughing together brought back memories from when I was their age and experiencing Hill for the first time. The whole entire night felt like we bonded closer together. It was that sense of comfort when you’re with family. It was nice.
Jackie ’12
My first weeks at Hill as a third former two years ago were very overwhelming. After I got the hang of my class schedule, I started becoming closer with the girls in my dorm and on my team. I also made several friends through my classes. After the preliminary weeks of Hill, I really started to feel like part of a family: The Hill family. I felt welcome in the Grille, encouraged in my classes, and embraced in Dell Dorms. After two years at Hill, nothing has changed; I still harbor that feeling of community and being part of The Hill family.
Miles ’14
Driving into Pottstown in Mr. Kauffman's security van took a lot longer than I thought. It felt as if I was in the van for hours. But one thing that really struck me was an advertisement at a gas station called Wawa for Seattle's Best Coffee. Not only did it remind me of my home, where I just was about nine hours prior to this incident, but I also realized that I hadn't seen Seattle's Best Coffee actually in Seattle for years! I laughed silently about this irony!
The next few days flew by quickly. I moved into my dorm, met a few people, including my roommate, Peter, and almost instantly made good friends. But only a few. It took about a week of social events and classes to actually meet other people. Classes, by the way, seemed much like any other class concerning how we study and go over topics, just with smaller classes and more involvement, which I like. Then came Jazz Band and football, my most anticipated topics of the year. It felt great to belt out a mean solo on a B flat blues scale for the first time in over a year, as did being tackled for the first few times. Eventually, days began to turn to weeks, as my schedule is full of half-days and short 40-minute class periods. I never really experienced homesickness, but I do miss some friends and family back home, and I look forward to seeing them during our next big break.
I tend to forget what life used to be like in Seattle, as hanging out with friends all day every day makes time fly faster than a speeding bullet. I can tell that I will find home in Pottstown, being surrounded by people I enjoy being around. I can tell that this new life will soon be old, that I will get used to the breakfast check-in, the study hall, the Chapel, and the seated meals, but only time will tell how I get through it all. I will have to wait four more years to find out how my life will turn out.
Whit Mittlefehldt ’11 (post grad)
My first four weeks here at The Hill have been wonderful. The faculty and students have done a great job incorporating my fellow PGs (post graduates) and me into the “City on the hill.” The thing that has amazed me the most is the relationship between the students and faculty. From the sit-down meals, family nights in the dorm, and small classes, there are plenty of opportunities to strengthen this bond, which is a unique part of Hill. Coming from a private day school in Buffalo, N.Y., I never experienced living in a dorm. I have really enjoyed this aspect of life at Hill because there is always somebody to talk to or help your with work. I cannot wait for the year to progress so that I embrace all that Hill has to offer.
Will Hering ’11 (post grad)
As a new student at Hill I wasn’t really sure what to expect when I first arrived. However, I immediately felt like a part of the tight knit community here. Dorm life played an integral part in this feeling. Living with fellow students creates an incredible bond, one much stronger than anything I felt at my old school. So far the highlight of my year has been meeting new people and friends as well as coming together with some of these friends as a part of the football team.