Four times three equals twelve. That’s how many terms a four-year student has at Andover; for some of us, it’s even less than that. Even before we set foot on the Great Lawn, we start doing the math, breaking our time at Andover into neat increments and allocating our goals accordingly: friends to make, clubs to join, classes to take, awards to win, positions to reach. The lists may vary, but we all arrive at Andover with some hope of what we want to achieve in our high school experience. Despite the best-laid plans, you find yourself suddenly nearing the end of your Andover career, wondering, “Where did all the time go?”
Many of us try to map out our time at Andover, but for all our meticulous planning, life at Andover rarely goes to plan. Ironically, the fear of wasting time here can limit the experiences/opportunities that we even consider pursuing. Maybe you would never have stumbled on your passion for photography if your friend hadn’t dragged you into that art elective; maybe you never would’ve met your best friend if you hadn’t decided to sit in on that club meeting on a whim. These may not have been items on your checklist, but they may end up being the most meaningful memories you carry away from this campus.
Worse, adhering to a rigid plan emphasizes what you’ve yet or failed to do, distracting from all the things you have accomplished. The constant motion at Andover fixes our eyes on the future: the next test, the next application, the next hurdle. But rarely do we take a step back. Whether or not you said every right thing, aced every test, or seized every opportunity, don’t lose sight of your achievements. You’ve grown, celebrate that.
Andover is overwhelming and filled with so many opportunities. While we are constantly told to “take advantage of what we have,” that doesn’t mean you need to or can physically do everything that Andover offers. It is simply not possible.
As we enter the last few weeks of Spring Term, or for Seniors, the last month of your Andover journey, consider what you want to take away from your time here. Because years later, what you’ll remember most likely isn’t the number of positions you held or the numbers on your transcript, but the thrill of spontaneous late-night walks downtown, inside jokes, and the quiet moments of courage when you stepped out of your comfort zone. Stop tunnel-visioning on your curated agenda of what you think your Andover experience should include. Start looking sideways.
This Editorial represents the opinions of The Phillipian, vol. CXLVIII
