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A Day In The Life!
A Day In The Life!
Greetings! We are your Co-All School Presidents for the 2023-24 school year, Kyle Kirby from Connecticut and Elle Eggleston from Colorado. We’re excited to meet you in the fall! To help get you into a bear's state of mind, we wanted to introduce ourselves and let you know what to expect next year. You’ve probably already started wondering, “What will my day be like?”, and we’re here to tell you!
Wake Up Time
While Kyle is an early riser Elle is not so much… Kyle tends to wake up around 6:30 to get a jumpstart on the day. Many people go to the gym in the mornings, do any work they didn’t finish, or just go to breakfast early to hang out with friends! What's your favorite breakfast food?
Kyle: OMG! I love eating pancakes, bacon, and eggs for breakfast. Some days, I’ll switch it up and make a breakfast sandwich (most likely bacon, egg & cheese for all the New Yorkers out there). When I came to Berkshire, the significance of starting your day with a balanced meal first started striking me. When I saw how many people bonded over morning meals and gained energy, I knew I couldn’t NOT attend Berkshire breakfast.
Elle: Before coming to Berkshire, I honestly didn't care for breakfast, but now I can strongly advocate it is the most important meal of the day. Now I LOVE my yogurt bowls and pumpkin bread. The baked goods at Berkshire are insane. If I don't eat breakfast, I am literally incapable of functioning the rest of the day. So if you think you aren’t a breakfast person, just wait, you might be surprised how quickly that changes!
Let's Get Grindy!
Classes start at 8:30 am, giving you plenty of time to get up and head to breakfast before the first period starts, or you could attend office hours at 8:00 am before classes begin. On Mondays and Thursdays, we have All School Meeting (ASM for short). On Mondays, the ASM leaders (All-School Presidents) give the student body a rundown of what to expect for the coming week, and on Thursdays, Head Prefects give us a rundown for the weekend. After ASM, all bears head out to finish the rest of the class day.
Kyle: Classes run from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm every day, with a lunch block in the middle, except for Wednesdays and Saturdays which are half days. Classes on half days run from 9:00 to 11:35 am, and we eat with our advisory groups on Wednesdays, which I love. There are also so many classes at Berkshire that really allow each individual to explore their own interests.
Elle: Lucky for us, Berkshire offers a ton of programs that you can explore during your time at Berkshire. A few fan favorites are Aviation, Advanced Math and Science Research (AMSR, which is different from ASMR…), Advanced Humanities Research (AHR), and many other exploratory and independent research classes.
Afternoon Fun!
After classes are done for the day, everyone heads to afternoon activities from 3:30 to 5:00 pm depending on what you do in the afternoon.
Kyle: During my time at Berkshire, I have participated in multiple fun afternoon activities. Some that have served as my highlights so far include Thirds Soccer, JV Basketball, and Track & Field. These activities have allowed me to create new bonds with people I never even imagined. There are also some other amazing afternoon offerings. These include, but are not limited to, theater and art option. With performances such as Matilda in Allen Theater, Bears have been granted opportunities to display their creativity to the rest of the school.
Elle: A classic freshman sport is squash! Coming from the west coast I had no idea what squash was and thought it was the funniest name ever. I decided to try it out, and although I am grateful for learning how to play, I eventually found my new passion, Thirds Girls Ice Hockey, which is a well-bonded and exciting team that gets me through the winter. During the fall I play Volleyball as my main sport and I have been on the team since my freshman year. In the spring I play lacrosse as the weather is just so nice spending time outside is my favorite thing to do.
Mmmm Dinner!
Dinner is ready and served from 5:00 to 7:00 pm in the newly located dining hall in the Jack! Being able to walk from your locker room to dinner will be super efficient, at least during this renovation. If you're not really feeling the food that night, there are plenty of other options in our student center (Shawn's Place), our student-run sandwich shop DiPasquales, or you can order from local restaurants around town.
Kyle: If you are in any clubs, they might also meet during this flex time before study hall. For instance, there are two A capella groups on campus, Greensleeves and Ursa Minor, and they happen to meet during this time. That said, I am a HUGE fan of any sandwiches from DiPasquales!
Elle: I am also a HUGE pizza person, so on nights when Roberto's is delivering, I will order from them as I think they have the best pizza around - but also there are so many options.
Finish the Day STRONG!
Now it's time to wind down and get some homework done. After dinner, boarders would go to their dorms and check in with their dorm parent on duty at 7:45 pm. Study hall takes place from 8:00 to 10:00 pm. If you are an incoming freshman, you'll attend a more structured study hall in one of our academic buildings twice a week (usually opposite days from your roommate, so whoever is studying in the dorm on a given night has the room to themselves). There are many options around campus to work and get your homework done. You can go to Geier library or Crawford Lecture Hall in Morgans/Bellas/Dixon if you have a pass, or you can just relax in your room and work at your desk. Where is your favorite place to study?
Kyle: My fave place to study is within the comfort of my own room when I really need peace and quiet, or second best for me is in the library since everyone is really respectful of each other and the work that needs to get done.
Elle: I get distracted in my own room, so I personally
love going to the library. All of my physical passes are in shreds with how much I use them for the library! I absolutely notice a difference in my grades when I take advantage of the library and when I don't.
And then once it hits 10:00 pm, study hall is over, and it's time to go back to your dorm for a 10 o’clock check-in with a prefect or dorm parent, and then you're done for the day! You then have a free hour before it's lights out at 11:00 pm. Many take that time to get ready for bed early or you can hang with friends, maybe eat a snack in the common room. And this is just an example of a typical school day - there is more to come about what we do on the weekends from other school leaders. Take care until then!
Dorm Room Essentials
Dorm Room Essentials
Hi! We’re Aggie and Danielle, and we’re so excited to be two of your prefects next year! We know packing for school can be super stressful, so we’re here to help! These are some suggestions of items to bring that might not be on the list you are given or things you might not think of right away.
First off, your bed is one of the most important parts of making Berkshire feel like your second home. We recommend you bring:
At least two sets of twin XL sheets
A mattress topper and pad
At least two pillows
And some fun bedding to make your room feel special!
Desk decor, like a mirror and a few trinkets
Wall decor, like posters, peel-and-stick wallpaper, etc.
Hygiene and self-care at boarding school are also super important. We think it would be a good idea to have:
A shower caddy filled with your go-to products
Shower shoes
Laundry bin and laundry materials
Detergent (they come in eco-friendly sheets now!)
Dryer sheets
First aid basics for minor cuts and scrapes
Bandaids, ointment, etc.
Sunscreen and bug spray!
There are a few other things that might be helpful to make your room more functional and accessible:
A power strip/extension cord
An extra-long phone charger (we recommend 10 feet)
Airpods or headphones for listening to music/noise cancellation
Hangers and/or hanging clothing shelves for your closet
Under-bed storage
Shoe storage! If you’re a sneakerhead, make sure you have a place for all your precious kicks (a rack or bin is good)
A lamp or LEDs (your desk will come with one, but alternative lighting can spice up your room!)
A fan, if you’re a fan person (some of us love for white noise or staying cool)
Reusable dishes, cutlery, cups, water bottles, etc. (especially if you bring food to make in your dorm)
Removable hooks and tape for hanging decorations
Snacks and snack storage!!
Remember, if you forget anything, you can always visit the Berkshire Bookstore, order things online, get them shipped from home once you're on campus, or your parents can bring things when they visit next, so don’t sweat the small stuff and get hype for dorm life!!!
Weekend Life @ The 'Shire
Weekend Life @ The 'Shire
Hello, New Bears! We are your Head Prefects for your 2023-24 school year, Will and Gracyn! We're so excited to welcome you to campus this fall. We remember wondering what our weekends would be like at boarding school, and specifically here at Berkshire. Well, we are happy to tell you!
Our school schedule consists of two-week schedules referred to as week 1 and week 2. We always have half-days on Wednesdays and Saturdays, but on week 1, Saturday classes begin at 9:00 am and end at 11:35 am. On week two, we actually don't have classes! Instead, we either get to enjoy a sleep-in (that's the BEST) or partake in some kind of speaker series, wellness activity, college counseling event, or workshopping event through our For Life programming. Some speakers have included:
Schuyler Bailar - On his journey as being a transgender athlete
Feminista Jones - On racial adversity and social issues
Jerome Edgerton Jr. - On his passion for drumming and being a leader
After classes or programming on Saturdays, most teams will meet for a team lunch before heading to locker rooms to suit up for athletic games, races, or matches. Home games might be staggered so we can attend each others' games, which is great for school spirit. Being a bear in the student section for a home game is exciting, thrilling, and never a snooze. Sometimes we will have themes for the games such as a Green Out or a White Out to promote spirit and cheer on our classmates. Teams can also announce their home games at All School Meetings in order to recruit fans. Bears are constantly supporting other Bears on this campus which makes being a part of the community so much fun.
After games on Saturdays, or practice if you didn’t have a game or if you're in an art option or research option, some students will go for hikes up on the mountain. One of our favorite hiking spots is to the reservoir about 15 minutes up the mountain for a nice swim on a warm day, or you can hike an hour higher up to Guilder Pond. Another fun thing you may see on Saturdays, particularly when it's warm out, is students jumping in the watering hole! Located right next to the track, the watering hole is a small stream of water where students can take a break from the hot sun in the fall and spring.
After watching some games, most students head to dinner anywhere between 5:00 and 7:00 pm when our dining hall is open. Students can be found playing spike ball, hanging out on the turf, or ordering dinner from local restaurants during this free time. You may even see some students utilizing grills outside of their dorm for a dorm barbeque!
As the evening continues, our Saturdays usually consist of some type of event that is inclusive to all students. These might be themed dances, like the Green and Gray ball, spring carnival including dunk tanks and bungee jumps, outdoor concerts, open ice in the winter, form bonding events around campfires, and winter carnival where dorms compete in a series of relay races and a dance competition. On nights where we don't have a larger event, clubs will sometimes meet or students will rally in the Shawn’s Place cafe. Shawn’s is our student center where students can hang out and grab easy-to-go food throughout the day. At night, Shawn's turns into a social scene where students of all grades can interact and mingle. In the fall especially, students will “pack Shawns” on weekends where everyone is invited. We bring speakers and sometimes cool lights to gather as a student body, listen to music, have fun, and get to know students from all grade levels.
Snow or sun, students at Berkshire are constantly out and about on this campus; however, there is plenty of time on Saturdays to recharge in your room, whether that's watching a movie with friends or getting ahead of your work. Saturday nights have endless possibilities here at Berkshire and are our favorite time of the week! We even have town trips to take advantage of, and those take place Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons.
When Sunday morning comes, students make their way to brunch in order to connect with each other about the previous night over some amazing food. Sunday brunch is a great tradition at Berkshire, whether it's because of the omelet bar, the amazing conversations, and simply our relaxing campus. Sunday brunch can also have fun activities like the Student Activities fair or the Valentine's Day rose distribution. By the time brunch is over, students will enjoy more outdoor time and then try and get some work done in the many different spots our campus has to offer such as the Morgan Bellas Dixon Science Center, the Geir Library, or Berkshire Hall.
Honestly, most students love staying on campus to enjoy our fun weekends together! After a very relaxing Sunday and amazing Saturday it is safe to say that students are prepared for the school week ahead and are already looking forward to the next weekend.
Traditions Under the Mountain
Traditions Under the Mountain
Hi! We're Katherine and Tashfi, two of your prefects for next year, excited to tell you about some of our favorite traditions here "under the Mountain", and there are so many more too!
Pink Out Game
Every winter, the Berkshire boys varsity hockey team battles it out against Taft in the Lucille D’Arco Memorial Cup (known as the Pink Out game). The annual Pink Out game raises money for cancer awareness in Berkshire County, and Berkshire students go all out with pink clothes and accessories. Its location switches between Berkshire and Taft each year, and the student body from the away school gets bussed to the game to support their team! The Pink Out game is a fantastic representation of the school spirit on campus!
Winter Carnival
Our favorite day in the winter is Winter Carnival, a dorm competition full of fun activities and themed costumes. This past year, each dorm dressed up as a different childhood movie. Every dorm creates an ice skit to perform in front of the whole school, and members of each dorm participate in ice sculpting, tug of war, sled racing, broomball, and trivia to earn points for their dorm!
Mountain Day
Once every fall and spring, our head of school Mr. Mulder announces after the first period that classes are canceled for the rest of the day! It is a surprise and is always announced in an exciting way. This past fall, Mr. Mulder announced Mountain Day by running through our form meetings in a bear suit, and he rode into an All School Meeting on a scooter to announce it in the spring. We take advantage of Mountain Day by hiking up Mount Everett! We love hiking to Guilder Pond or the reservoir (and jumping into the water!) and South Pinnacle (with a scenic overlook).
Community Dinner
Each Tuesday night in the fall and spring, the entire school gathers in the dining hall for community dinner. The dress code is class dress, and every student is assigned to a random table of students and a faculty member. Community dinner provides students with the opportunity to meet students they may not otherwise interact with around campus.
Green & Gray Teams
When you arrive at Berkshire, you will soon be initiated into either the Green Team or the Gray Team. You remain a member of that team for the rest of your time at Berkshire. There are many activities throughout the year that allow you to earn points for your team, like bringing a date to a dance or winning a volleyball tournament.
Last Bear Standing!
During the spring, our Green and Gray leaders will set up a school-wide game of assassin but in order to get your person out, you have to give them a great big bear hug. The game gets more intense and stricter as the competition goes on for longer until there is only one Berkshire Bear remaining in the game. The faculty play among themselves as well! It's so fun and funny to see them running around too.
Prize Night & Graduation!
The whole community comes together plus loads of friends and family and even alumni to celebrate our full year of academic and character-driven accomplishments, with prize night in the Jack! Each department runs through its awards for each class, and then we all move the party over to a huge tent out on our football field with an amazing 9-piece band and an awesome dessert spread. Commencement then takes place the very next day, also in the Jack, and then a luncheon is held for seniors under the same tent. This is a special time of year, celebrating one another but especially the seniors as we send them off on their next adventure!
We hope you enjoyed learning more about the celebratory atmosphere here at Berkshire - and trust us when we say this is just a hint of the amazing environment you're about to experience. We look forward to seeing you under the Mountain soon!
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