The Pomfret Dictionary

Igrew up my whole life on Ragged Hill Road here in Pomfret, just a few miles away. I passed Pomfret School every day on my way to elementary and middle school. I’d see the students walking to class and the beautiful brick buildings. I thought it looked pretty cool and always wondered what it would be like to go there. Pomfret School was a place so close to home and familiar but, at the same time, very mysterious and unfamiliar. All my friends from my middle school, except Maya Gerum, were going to attend Woodstock Academy. I was venturing into unknown territory. It was pretty scary and exciting all at the same time. Coming in as a freshman at Pomfret, there were so many new terms to learn, places to be, people to meet, and events to attend. I remember thinking: What form am I as a freshman? Is Sundial a place, an event, or both? What is a cosmic bandana? A toaster? The cage? The Tuck? A Pomfret Card? Thirds? Advisory? The Bricks? The Arcades?

D uring my freshman year, I needed some help in engineering. Mr. Lake was on dorm duty in The Arcades and was nice enough to say I could meet him there to get some extra help. I was like, “what are The Arcades?” I learned some helpful information from the upperclassmen. I was tipped off that earning points and joining the “Breakfast Club” was not in someone’s best interest. That explains why the Breakfast Club wasn’t at the activity fair. I soon learned people are really nice, and within a few days all these terms, places, and people became very familiar.

noun

1. a 22-foot horological instrument located on the front lawn of the School Building that measures the arc of the sun and the passage of time

2. a ceremony in which seniors stand on the base of the Proctor Sundial and are surrounded by faculty and underclassmen as a symbol of support

Arcades

ar

• cades \ är-kāds \

noun the basement level of the Bricks dorms, named for the large arches visible on the west side of the building

I lear ned there was no first form. Freshman started at third form . The Sundial is both a place and an event. The cosmic bandana gave you a day off! The toaster was just a small bus. The Tuck had good mozz sticks, you could buy with your Pomfret Card . The cage was where you ran to get equipment before a game to make it to the toaster on time. Thirds was a great way to learn a new sport and have a great time!

(Thanks, Mr. Boyd.) Advisory is a meeting with a small group led by a faculty member, like Mr. Lamb, who really listens, has your back, and treats you to great food — like Moe’s. And the Bricks are just upperclassmen dorms. The Arcades aren’t scary at all. It is just the bottom level of the Bricks, with nicer bathrooms.

By my sophomore year, I’d settled in and started to build some confidence. I’d experienced these things at least once, and now Pomfret was becoming familiar. I met many new people from all over the country, and the world, whom I now call friends. I also got more comfortable with reaching out to my teachers. Once afraid to speak up and ask for help, I was now comfortable pestering poor Mrs. Browne on a daily basis in Engineer Your World. (Thanks, Mrs. Browne.) Also, asking Ms. Aragón to go over the preterite perfect tense just one more time in Spanish. (Thanks, Ms. Aragón.) I realized how great it is to email and GChat your teachers, and they are more than willing to help. The days are busy with class, sports, and activities, but you settle into a rhythm, and the year flies by.

Junior year it all seems to get scary again. The college counselors aren’t scary people at all. They are actually really nice people. It’s just the topic that’s kind of scary. ACTs, SATs, college lists, and college tours. Do I have to start thinking about college and majors? Wasn’t I just asking what a toaster was yesterday? The next step in life was coming into view.

S tarting senior year feels like when you are climbing a mountain. You have reached high enough that you can see the peak of where you are heading. It is both overwhelming — because you have so much farther to go — and exhilarating to realize how high up you’ve come.

Standing in Chapel today feels a lot like the first time freshman year — a little scary and exciting, all at the same time.

As a freshman, there was a feeling of wanting time to pass quickly to get to a more comfortable place. Now, starting senior year, I want things to slow down just a little — to really get to know people, take in the events, and enjoy this time. It’s like being on a roller coaster. There are ups and downs, highs and lows, but you don’t want the ride to end.

Cosmic Bandana

noun a large, colorful handkerchief, the appearance of which signals a Head’s Holiday — a day off from school commitments