Embedded Files
BT VOICES
BT VOICES
Question: "What is your favorite Valentines Day activity?"
Question: "What is your favorite Valentines Day activity?"
"Movies are a favorite activity or something more active like mini golf or bowling. Good food is always helpful too - it's often takeout these days!"
-Mrs. Beaner, High School College Counselor
"My husband and I always take a partner yoga class together. We like to go out to eat afterwards."
-Mrs. Tessin, Lower and Middle School Counselor
"I enjoy making and eating my favorite Valentines Day foods with my family."
-Dylan Scott '23
"I like to watch romantic movies and eat Valentines Day treats!"
-Lia Li '24
Photos and text by Claire Cenovic
Verbatim polled BT students on Instagram (@btverbatim) about celebrating (or not) Valentine's Day
Verbatim polled BT students on Instagram (@btverbatim) about celebrating (or not) Valentine's Day
Poll conducted by Kidman Ip,; pie charts compiled by Maggie Estabrooks
ADVICE
ADVICE
Senior Wisdom
Senior Wisdom
This time of year seniors are learning about college acceptance, which can be a touchy subject in school and among friends. What is the best way to share your own news without possibly hurting the feelings of someone who did not receive the news they had hoped to hear themselves?
This time of year seniors are learning about college acceptance, which can be a touchy subject in school and among friends. What is the best way to share your own news without possibly hurting the feelings of someone who did not receive the news they had hoped to hear themselves?
Personally, I feel that it's important to be respectful of other people's feelings, especially since college decisions are a pretty big deal. It's good to celebrate your own accomplishments, but also be aware that other people are probably feeling pressed about their own college decisions. It's good to support your friends if they feel stressed and be happy for them if they get good news. Also, remember that the college decisions process is something that no one can predict the results of. So, the best way to cope with rejection or deferral is to look forward to what the rest of your decisions have to offer and remember that you shouldn't want the school either if a school doesn't want you.
by Crystal Huang
For many seniors, the thought of college decisions is filled with stress, so sharing your good news might feel awkward if your friend was deferred or rejected from their dream school. Still, remember that all of your friends will be happy for you, regardless of their college decision results. If your friend didn’t receive the news they were hoping for, you should share the news. Just don’t overstate your joy because it could remind your friend that they didn’t receive the college news that they wanted. While your stress might be over, theirs likely isn’t if they were deferred or rejected, so keep that in mind if they seem distant. Your friend could be less social because they are coping with their news or working on college applications.
If you want to ease your friend’s stress, give them advice and try to put the results of their college decision in the scale of the larger picture. If you are unsure of what to say, you could start off by reminding them that they will get in somewhere and that their college decision results have no impact on their worth. You could boost their confidence by reminding them of their strengths and of the increased competitiveness this year: this past application season has been even more competitive with many reach schools skyrocketing to an all-time high number of applicants and plummeting to record-low acceptance rates. Regardless of what you say, your friends will be happy for your good news and comforted by any reassuring advice that you offer.
by Aishani Srikumar
Dear Susie 2.0
Dear Susie 2.0
Dear Susie,
I’m online and miss my friends. What should I do?
Dear Lonely,
Being online, it can be very difficult to find motivation, but by putting in a little effort and making time to talk to friends, you might feel more connected. Text, call, or Facetime your friends to catch up or work on homework together. It might seem hard at first, but know that your friends miss you too! With the upcoming holiday of Valentine’s Day, it is also a good opportunity to show you appreciation for your friends through small gifts or cards. Hope that helps!
CITIZEN SCIENCE
CITIZEN SCIENCE
The Great Backyard Bird Count
The Great Backyard Bird Count
The Audubon Society and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology host an annual winter bird count every February. This is an excellent opportunity for students and faculty in all grade levels to participate in citizen science and help professional ornithologists understand fluctuating bird populations and migration patterns.
The attached website provides additional information, including steps for downloading useful identification and monitoring apps to phones and tablets—it's truly never been easier to get into birding, as the tools (camera, identification guide, checklist) now all fit in the palm of your hand.
This year's count takes place over a long weekend, so we won't be able to host events on campus. However, the feeders behind the chapel and other sites on campus will be full for those who are passing through; the wooded areas on either side of the park are also great sites to catch glimpses of some larger birds of prey like hawks and owls; and nearby sites like Hitchcock Nature Center, Fontenelle Forest, and Neale Woods always have a wide range of birds nesting or passing through. Or if you have a feeder in your backyard, that's a perfect place to make a count as well!
No matter where you go, Verbatim wants to know of your bird watching experiences—send photos, birds identified, total count numbers, and your birding stories to @btverbatim.
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