Starting life at Choate can be an exciting yet scary thing. Serena Grewal ’11 commented,“In the months prior to my arrival at Choate, I was so nervous, excited, and sad that I avoided dwelling on it. I was happy to embark on a new experience, scared that I would not make any friends, and sad that I had to leave home,” said Serena Grewal ’11.

Before arriving on campus, Serena Grewal ’11 had no idea what to expect in her first weeks at Choate. Would they be exciting? Emotional? Exhausting? “The first two weeks of my Choate Rosemary Hall experience was daunting. From Playfair to Matriculation and dealing with homesickness I was completely overwhelmed. As the icebreaker activities ended, classes finally began and I finally embarked on my real Choate experience. With this, a new wave of apprehension washed over me. Would my teachers like me? Would I get the grades I wanted? Then, I realized I was not alone,” Serena explained.

Different Perceptions

Each freshman envisioned a Choate experience differently before arriving here. Some freshmen knew that they were about to embark on a life changing experience, but their perceptions of Choate came from what they saw on revisit day, or what they read about in the handbooks. “I thought it would be more strict, but it’s really very tolerant,” Grewal said. Other freshmen thought Choate would be an academic challenge. “ I thought it was going to be really difficult and very academic,” said Ravahn Duvall ’11. “Once I came to Choate, I believed my social life would become non-existent.” After being at Choate for almost two months, however, Duvall noted that “Choate is better than I expected. I can do everything here. I don’t spend all my time on work.”

Misconceptions Dispelled

Some expectations were affected by Choate’s seemingly WASPy image “I thought Choate was going to be full of snobby rich kids who were really smart and mean,” said Shelby Tulley ’11. Although some may believe that boarding schools comprise wealthy kids exclusively, this stereotype does not hold true at Choate. “What I expected was not true. Everyone is cool,” Tulley said.

Choate’s rigorous academic agenda means another adjustment for some students. Despite the step up from middle school, the class of 2011 has proven itself academically thus far. Fran O’ Donoghue, the Third Form Girls’ Dean, explained, “I did not expect the class to be so capable.” Madeline Foote ’11 described her experience thus far: “Choate may be more stressful, but it’s a different kind of stress than my old school.” The class of 2011 has been at Choate for almost two months, and students are handling the new, increased workload in various ways. Teddy Link ’11 explained, “I expected a huge workload, but it’s really not all that bad. One thing Choate has taught me is to manage my time.”

Some freshmen started the year hoping they would become the exemplary student, friend, athlete and performer immediately. “I thought I was going to make J.V. Soccer,” said Ravahn. “When I made thirds I was disappointed.” Despite these initial setbacks, surprises, and letdowns, the class of 2011 is beginning to settle in.