Pep Rally at Andover is a moment of exhilaration and anticipation. As we gather behind the teams representing us, dress ourselves in blue and white, and cheer with all our hearts, there is an electricity in the air that is hard to describe. While the unexpected flash of a camera can sometimes feel like a pull out of the moment, the filming of an Andover Admissions video at Pep Rally revealed something more: a common desire among students to share these experiences beyond the school community. Despite the sudden presence of the cameras and an unexpected intermission to cheer for a social media post, there is still a part of us that finds value in expressing school spirit and our genuine excitement during these times of school-wide unity.
Whether it be the new Andover Admissions Instagram reel posted after each school event or the slew of videos posted on the Phillips Academy YouTube channel, Andover’s official social media presence serves as a channel to the outside world. In many ways, social media is the most efficient and accessible method through which Andover can offer others a glimpse into its offerings and opportunities. Like any other school of its caliber and prestige, Andover takes care to cultivate Although students might see this outward-facing content as “fake” or “staged,” the purpose of these videos is not to create a false image of Andover, but rather to capture the spirit that can draw those from outside the community in. It can be hard to encapsulate the vivid emotions that we feel during intimate conversations with our roommate in our dorms, the excitement when we finally get that math grade back, or the anticipation we feel as we work up the courage to ask our crush to the Abbot dance. These experiences are personal and private, anyway. But because the genuine joy and energy that enlivens the campus in times of celebration or competition are much easier to be captured in a video or described in a post, these moments are often the ones that make an appearance on social media in order to give people unfamiliar with Andover a snippet of what true Andover life is like.
Although the process of filming or posing for social media content can feel superficial at times, at its core, the footage and photos on Andover’s social media pages are rooted in authenticity. At Pep Rally, we did not attend with the knowledge that an Admissions video would be filmed. However, even with the spontaneous videoing and directions on how to cheer for the camera, our excitement wasn’t manufactured purely for the cameraman – it was organic, stemming in our pride for Andover. Similarly, pictures of students on the lawn, in class, or on the field may seem, and often can be, posed, but nevertheless they embody an essence of Andover that exists beyond the scope of the image, video, or social media post.
Furthermore, it’s important for us to remember that most viewers of Andover’s social media pages are people who are not direct members of our community, including prospective students. These people are looking to get a sense of what Andover is really like beyond the statistics and numbers that can be found online. They don’t want to watch a student or administrator sitting in front of a camera, reading a generic script that describes their love for Andover’s community and people, but rather to see the community and people in a candid way for themselves. They want to understand what makes Andover’s community so special, and an event like the pep rally embodies just that. Even though these instances seem like a regular part of our lives here, these colorful glimpses of school spirit and enthusiasm can make all the difference for students on the verge of applying.
As students, once we’ve settled into the environment at Andover and the dazzle of novelty wears into the familiar, it’s inevitable that we will come to know all the facets of Andover, good and bad. Stress, heavy workloads, late nights and all-nighters are realities of student life here in Andover. But so are the blue and white ‘A’s we paint on our faces for A/E, so are the close friendships we form through screaming our lungs out in the bleachers together, so are the pride and reverence gleaming on our faces when our teams win a game. Yes, these scenes are often showcased on social media, but that doesn’t make their emotional significance any less genuine. Despite the fact that they may feel manufactured, they are made possible only because of our intrinsic enthusiasm. In fact, these moments can serve as crucial touchstones, the experiences we look back on when the days are tough and the burdens heavy. They’re heartwarming reminders of why we came to Andover and why we choose to stay here through the highs and lows: for the energy before A/E, for the people that make Andover a second home, for our shared love of this place and all that it has become for us.
