Frisbees were flying as students and faculty celebrated this year’s Academy Life Day. Started in 1995 as part of a wider initiative to improve residential life at Exeter, the day set aside for dorm-wide activities has become a beloved fall-term tradition.
The exact activity each dorm does — dodgeball, apple picking and beach-combing are some of the choices — is never the point. What’s important is that the students do it together. “Making con-nections is at the heart of Exeter’s res-idential program,” Dean of Residential Life Matt Hartnett says. “Academy Life Day provides an extended opportunity for students to build bonds with each other in a fun, device-free, nonclassroom environment.”
Holding the event early in the school year, when students may be especially open to meeting new people, is aimed at maximizing students’ potential for making connections.
Hartnett adds, “It’s also just plain fun for everyone to get outside on a beautiful day after the first week of classes.”
