By Emily Swope ‘22, Editor-in-Chief

When I look back at my experience at NA, one of the moments I still distinctly remember is my first day of school. As I drove to school with my older brother on that early September morning, he asked me, “Are you nervous?” I was a new ninth grader, so I was beyond nervous and unsure of what lay ahead of me, both in the day and the next four years. Now, as a graduating senior, I wish I could speak to that version of myself and guide her through her first day at Newark Academy, assuring her that she was about to experience an incredible four years.

Somewhat ironically, my mornings in freshman year began in the single place in the school that seemed farthest away from freshmen; my advisor group met in the College Office. During that first morning, I nervously weighed where to sit and who to talk to. Now, I spend most of my free periods in the College Office, which become my home base during the school day. I can almost always find a friend if I’m feeling lonely, some nourishment (or at least a piece of candy) if I’m feeling hungry, and a smiling face from a college counselor if I’m feeling stressed. If I could go back to that first morning, though, I would tell myself to embrace and overcome the initial moments of nervousness so that I could begin to truly enjoy everything NA had to offer.

Leaving advisor group, I headed to my Slot A Biology class. I tentatively sat in the second row at a desk on the left side of the room. Little did I know, some of my future best friends, co-captains, and role models surrounded me in that classroom. Looking back, I wish I had been bolder in sparking conversations with the unfamiliar faces sitting next to me. Each person represented unlimited potential, and I was yet to discover the unique and powerful talents and value that each of my classmates possessed.

As I continued through my next few classes, I felt more comfortable, recognized some familiar faces from class to class, and met teachers who would serve as my educators and mentors over the next four years. After leaving my Slot C Spanish class, I mingled in the notoriously-crowded freshman hallway, anxiously waiting for the 10 minutes to pass before we could head to lunch. I stood in a large circle filled with both new students and lifers, trying to absorb the names and faces of my new classmates. At the time, I disregarded this moment, but looking back at my whole school career, I realize that the in-between moments are the times where I made some of the most genuine connections. During these passing times and free periods, I learned how to play poker in the College Office, made Tik Toks with my IB Enviro class while waiting for the period to start, and talked about anything and everything with the incredible students arounds me. 

By the time the school day ended, I started to truly envision myself as a Newark Academy student. The end of my academic classes on my first day of school, just like many of my days as an NA student, was far from the end of my day. Clubs and extracurricular activities have been an integral part of my NA experience as they introduced me to incredible people, helped me discover my passions, and allowed me to interact with my school and local communities in an impactful way. However, on my first day of school and at the beginning of my time at NA, I was timid in joining new clubs and stepping out of my comfort zone. When peering into the windows of classrooms, I often hesitated or turned around before joining a club meeting if I didn’t recognize anyone. I ended up joining more clubs during my sophomore year, but I wish I could go back and tell my freshman self to take the risk and make the decisive action to try a club even though it might seem intimidating. I would assure myself that all of the clubs and communities within NA would welcome me with open arms.

Before going home and truly concluding my first day, I went to cross country practice. I dropped my bags underneath the scoreboard by the track, just as I would almost every day for the next four years. I didn’t know it at the time, but this is where I would finish my first cross country race and receive congratulations from my captains, and it is where, three years later, I would be the captain embracing the new freshmen after their first race. On that first day of school, I would encourage myself to soak up every moment because even though the workouts were intense and the races were grueling, I was a part of a team and a family like no other.

Looking back, the advice that I would continually give myself would be to take risks: talk to someone different, try a new club, embrace awkwardness to reach comfort. It was in these moments where I branched out of my comfort zone that I made some of my favorite memories, met incredible people, and was able to enjoy the precious moments of my time at NA.