On Tuesday, Jan. 28, the Academy hosted its annual dinner to celebrate Lunar New Year. Students and faculty gathered in Elm Street and the New Dining Hall to enjoy a vast array of Asian foods, colorful decorations, and a fun, festive night.

Exeter is, admittedly, hard. The consecutive sleepless nights become unbearable, and the major assignments become all-consuming — inevitably leading to a dismal spiral of self-doubt and stress that gnaws away at your once blissfully ignorant childhood self-confidence. Ok, ok — perhaps that was a bit dramatic, but if I’ve learned anything at Exeter, it is that having an instructor who believes in the value of canceling class at least once a week minimizes the hardship to which an Exonian is subjected to a daily basis. To aid in identifying whether the scheduling gods have blessed you with such an instructor, I’ve compiled a guide to assist you on your journey. 1. Class on the Quad or in D-Hall These instructors will lead your class on a spontaneous trek across campus to the academic quad — or if you’re truly golden snake lucky (Elm Lunar New Year allusion), D-Hall. Once seated in a red lawn chair or at a long Wetherall table, you’ll open your book and hold a Harkness discussion as usual, goofing off periodically because, let’s face it, your teacher is the GOAT. 2. 8 a.m. Donuts You walk into your first class of the day looking…on the rougher side (one of the more generous euphemisms capable of describing your current state). Your backpack is half-open, your left sneaker is untied, and you can’t quite recall if you did last night’s eight assigned math problems. Harkness warrior kid with three years of Calculus BC under his belt and several summer internships at NASA starts lamenting to the teacher about problem #164, despite getting the right answer. You are on the brink of a full-blown crash-out. But then, salvation in the form of a dozen assorted Dunkin’ Donuts appears in the middle of the Harkness table. Your legendary instructor urges you to grab the pink-frosted sugar in the middle, and just like that, your stomach (which you neglected to feed this morning), has been pacified by copious amounts of sugar and carbohydrates. Score. 3. Actually Reads Your Essays We’ve all experienced the sheer anxiety of receiving the “Assignment Graded” notification on Canvas, clicking it frantically, only to be greeted with a slew of ambiguous comments, most of them along the lines of “Expand on this” and “?”. In the end, you are met with a three-sentence justification for your soul-crushing grade, and it sounds as if your teacher is critiquing a completely different essay written by someone else who just happened to have had a nearly identical life experience. In contrast, a legendary instructor will not only read through your entire three-page narrative about the time you allegedly broke Aunt Minni’s orchid vase and had to come clean or pin the fault on your brother (which, let’s be real, was hastily fabricated at 1 a.m.), they will actually care. When you open the graded PDF file, you’ll be greeted with a collage of red marks, comments off to the side, and the occasional smiley face if you’re lucky. And the final comment? It will thoughtfully and extensively analyze the “personal” narrative you haphazardly concocted in the wee hours of the morning. Suddenly, you’ll find yourself contemplating your literary genius and your “impressive use of call-back and themes of interpersonal growth.” 4. Hustle-Culture Commiserator Some teachers will interrupt students talking amongst themselves about their seemingly never-ending Canvas to-do list and brush them off, fondly reminiscing that when they attended Exeter in the late 1970s, the workload was much greater, and instructors were far less tolerant of adolescent slacking. But the true diamonds in the rough are the ones that will sigh just as dramatically as you and commiserate about their own towering stack of in-class essays to be graded. These are the teachers who will spend the first twenty minutes of Friday’s class making it known to everyone at the table that this week — along with the previous one — absolutely obliterated them. And if you complain to them about their Tuesday morning test, they just might reschedule it. Because deep down, their desire to administer and grade that test is even less than your desire to take it. Class on the Quad or in D-Hall These instructors will lead your class on a spontaneous trek across campus to the academic quad—or if you’re truly golden snake lucky (Elm Lunar New Year allusion), D-Hall. Once seated in a red lawn chair or at a long Weatherall table, you’ll open your book and hold a Harkness discussion as usual, goofing off periodically because, let’s face it, your teacher is the GOAT.

Every year, without fail, the Grammy Awards roll around, the main highlights of the event being the star-studded red carpet and the much-anticipated award ceremony, in which upon hearing their name called, recipients strut on stage and deliver an often tearful thank-you speech. This year’s Grammys had a lot of strong contenders in terms of nominees and award winners. With such a spectacular lineup, fans had great feedback in response to the awards. “I think Doechii’s album was great,” shared prep Tiago Bilyk. This year, Doechii’s album, “Alligator Bites Never Heal,” won the award for the Best Rap Album. Senior Jaansi Patel agreed, echoing, “I found Doechii’s album incredibly impressive. The award was truly well-deserved, and I’m happy to see her succeed as an artist.” Bilyk continued, saying, “Funnily enough, I also really enjoyed ‘Short and Sweet’ by Sabrina Carpenter.” “Short and Sweet” was the recipient of the Best Pop Vocal Album Award. This was a major accomplishment for Carpenter, as it was the first Grammy she had ever received. Carpenter has been in the entertainment and music industry for years, so fans were especially excited to see her win. In contrast to Carpenter’s case, Exonians also highlighted the accomplishments of newer artists. For example, Chappell Roan received this year’s Best New Artist award. Upper Wilson Rhee attributed, “Chappell Roan is a huge force within pop. Her album ‘The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess’ was really grandiose - it had some really well-written melodies and harmonies. Because my sister is a long time fan, I’ve been on the train for a while and I’m really happy to see her succeed. It’s also so cool to see her use her platform to support small artists.” Patel, a fellow Chappell fan, highlighted another aspect of her success through another perspective, “Daniel Nigro, who produces for Olivia Rodrigo, Chappell Roan, and more won Producer of the Year, which I was really happy about.” On the note of producing, Rhee added in one final note, “‘Brat’ winning best recording package was another one of the awards I’m most happy about. That album is so well produced and fun, and it sounds really good. I think Best Recording Package is the perfect award for that album to win.” Each year along with the Grammys comes great controversy. Between awards, nominations, and more, there are bound to be disagreements attached. Among many interviewed individuals, one particular case stood out - Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” album, which won Best Country Album and Album of the Year. “I do not think it was fair,” said Bilyk. “It was of course a long time coming, but Cowboy Carter was barely listened to. I’d argue ‘Hit Me Hard and Soft’ by Billie Eilish was more deserving, and Eilish and Finneas clearly worked hard on it.” Patel agreed, stating, “I was kind of unhappy about ‘Cowboy Carter.’ I just feel like it wasn’t popular enough or didn’t have enough of a cultural impact to win album of the year. And also, I know a lot of people were talking about how it’s barely a country album, so the fact that it won a country album of the year was a bit questionable.” Patel further echoed Bilyk’s take, explaining, “I really wanted Billie Eilish to win album of the year for ‘Hit Me Hard and Soft.’ I feel like it really resonated with me and it was very popular. However, I could also imagine ‘Brat’ winning because of cultural impact. I was just kind of surprised to see Beyoncé win.” However, Rhee provided a contrasting opinion, arguing, “I think a lot of people are fundamentally misunderstanding ‘Cowboy Carter’ as a current trilogy of Beyoncé albums. The entire point of these albums is that she’s trying to reclaim these predominantly historically black genres that are now predominantly white. When people say that Cowboy Carter is not a real country album, either because Beyoncé is not a predominantly country artist, or because Beyoncé is a Black artist, I think her intentions are being misinterpreted.” Another core part of the Grammys are the performances involved — often some of the most entertaining parts of the night, fans look forward to them for weeks in advance, excitedly dreaming about who will be singing, what they’ll be wearing, and even which songs will be performed. This year, a litany of talented young artists showed off their skills in a grand display of talent — Sabrina Carpenter, Charlie XCX, Chappell Roan, and rising rap star Doechii, all appeared up on the stage that night. Rhee praised Charli XCX’s techno-pop performance, especially appreciating how Charli remained true to her signature “Brat” style. “I liked her bringing the same energy as on tour — going against conventions and being loud and abrasive is the whole idea behind that album. It’s really cool when people bring that kind of energy to stuff like the Grammys that are so publicized and very prim and proper.” Patel also enjoyed the more theatrical aspects of the show, adding, “Sabrina Carpenter’s performance was really great, because it had like a bit of a comedy to it too — it was creative. Same thing with Chappell Roan — her stage, the set, the costume, everything was all very avant garde” In addition to these performances, also highly anticipated were the outfits showcased by the stars, as well as the interviews and speeches they gave while at the event. Chappell Roan’s acceptance speech was particularly poignant for many people, who respected her willingness to call big industry players out. “I really liked how [Chappell Roan] talked about the importance of record labels needing to show appreciation for the artists they sign, with health insurance and things like that. We can always count on her to talk about culturally relevant and important issues,” reflected Patel. Rhee echoed Patel’s sentiment, saying that his favourite moment was, “Chappell’s speech calling out people in the industry on the industry’s biggest stage. That was really admirable. I hope that the changes she’s suggesting get put into place before I enter the music scene.” He then went on to laud Jaden Smith’s bold approach to the red carpet: “People don’t like Jaden Smith, but I see him. You see these other artists wearing Montclair, Maison Margiela, Tom Ford and Ralph Lauren. But Jaden Smith just had a house on his head. You can’t compete with that. He made a house and then he put it on his head, and that’s a fit.” All in all, the Grammys were certainly an entertaining experience for Exonians all around campus — whether it be judging the winners or losers, or just enjoying the performances, it provided an engaging escape from the monotony of school life.

The Republican Club, often referred to as “PubClub,” has long been a staple at Exeter. Every Thursday night, students—both conservative and liberal—convene on the mezzanine floor at Elm Street Dining Hall to engage in political discourse.

This past week, members of the Exeter community gathered to celebrate the longstanding tradition of Diwali and share in celebrating the triumph of good over evil. The holiday expands the Hindu diaspora, and its celebration at Exeter was no different. Students of all faiths convened to partake in the cherished traditions.

By June Koh, Carol Lee, Chloe Lind, and Henry Wise

By: Aryan Agarwal, Chloé Lind, and Jayden Oh

You are roaming the Grill aisles in search of your next midnight snack and caffeinated beverage duo. You dodge your way through the usual throng of gossiping students to get to a Yerba Mate when a high-pitched wail sends goosebumps down your spine.

The lights in Love Gym flicker on as swimmers thrust open red locker doors, excavating tech suits from their depths. This has become a religious routine for the competitive swimmers who christen PEA’s pools before sunrise. Athletes swarm Downer, hopping on treadmills and performing full-body stretches aided by foam rollers and various other exercise props. The coaches assert an infectious energy over the group, hollering at the top of their lungs albeit the early hour.

It is no secret that Exonians have their own less-than-intuitive lexicon. Dickeys? 333 papers? P-Raw? What in the world is this vortex of verbiage all about — and more importantly, who began the trend of integrating it into daily speech? For those who think Exeter is an elitist pressure cooker, you should know that we speak like this on a daily. The purpose of this guide is to aid those unfamiliar with our idiosyncratic idiom of elite academia in comprehending it — you’re welcome.

On Wednesday, Feb. 12, the boys’ varsity squash team traveled to Brookline, MA., and defeated Dexter Southfield School 4-2. The squad improved its match record to 7-5 and continued its two-game winning streak. “Overall, the match went well,” lower Ryan Wang expressed. “Some of us weren’t playing as well as we usually were, but in the end, we worked hard and were able to get the win.”

This term, ten seniors left campus, embarking on a Global Initiatives program in Madrid, Spain. The program is one of a select few term abroad programs offered by Global Initiatives for seniors advanced in foreign languages. A key aspect of the program is the pairing of students with local host families located near their Spanish school. Instructor in Modern Languages. Mark Trafton, the trip faculty chaperone, outlined some more of the program’s core details: “Family stay is the most important [component of the trip], excursions is another part. Of course, daily classes play a large part. The fourth part is the cultural immersion that comes from just adventuring on their own.”

Leaves take on their autumn hues in the town of Exeter. As the temperature drops, students of the Academy flock to the nearest cafe to snap a picture of their frothy London Fog or to one of the many quaint boutiques to purchase yet another striped sweater. As Academy students, despite these routine trips, it can feel as though we are living our boarding school lives in a bubble of Lion Card-access buildings. However, the surrounding town and its residents play an integral role in shaping our experiences as members of the Town of Exeter community, just as we do in shaping theirs.

What comes to mind when thinking about fashion at elite boarding school? Before this article commences, here’s a question for you (yes, you): How comfortable do you feel “dressing how you feel” at school? This was the very question I found myself pondering on a crisp autumn afternoon, sitting on the right side of Elm, finishing my dinner whilst simultaneously searching up “Phillips Exeter Academy” on Google. As the white-and-blue icon of Business Insider popped up, its bold headlines loading onto the screen, I felt baffled by the stereotypes the reporter had so confidently asserted about Big Red.

Family Weekend is often a blast for many, with joyful reunions with parents and much-anticipated trips to Target or for some non-dining-hall food. Likewise, for those whose families could not make it to Exeter this time, especially international students, the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) sponsored a field trip for them to Boston. This way, nobody missed out on the fun.

While most Exonians began their breaks with travels back home or with vacation, the Exeter boys’ and girls’ varsity swim team traveled to Hotchkiss to cinch their 8-1 record and undefeated record, respectively. They competed against multiple other New England prep schools — Brunswick, Greenwich Academy, Suffield, Hotchkiss, Deerfield, St. Paul’s, Sacred Heart Greenwich, Andover, Choate, and NMH. The teams swam outstandingly; the girls finished first with a wide margin of 73 points, and the boys finished second.

Last Tuesday, Chris Dixon, founder of CNSTNT:DVLPMNT and senior designer for Timberland, took the Assembly Hall stage.

On Sunday, Mar. 30, at 7:49 p.m, an incident involving Silly Spray occurred on 10 Spring St, in close proximity to the PEA campus. The offenders, driving by in a passing vehicle, sprayed Silly String at pedestrian students and were then reported to the Exeter Police Department. Although only one case was reported to Phillips Exeter Academy Campus Safety and law enforcement, further investigation by The Exonian indicates that there were multiple accounts of this activity against PEA students on the same night. As an investigation is still underway, the exact details of the incident remain uncertain.

Whether on the court coaching players to strengthen their “SSV” (Serve, Stroke, and Volley), on the bench teaching her team the mental side of tennis through “Mindfulness Mondays,” or in the van talking to the team after a match, coach Nancy Buckley brings heart, humor, and high standards to everything she does. As head coach of Exeter’s girls’ varsity tennis team, she’s more than a coach — she’s a mentor, motivator, and master of both forehands and philosophy.

On the night of Sunday, March 30, a faintly glowing new moon hung in the night sky, marking the end of Ramadan and the beginning of the 10th Islamic month, Shawwal. After a season of worship and fasting, the festival of breaking one’s fast, Eid al-Fitr is celebrated the following day with food and prayer. On Monday, March 31, Phillips Exeter Academy hosted lunches in Elm and New Dining Hall and cancelled classes, allowing students and faculty to indulge in an array of falafels, couscous, kebabs, honey cake, and more.

On Jan. 13, the White House announced the 306 recipients of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching with the Academy’s very own John Blackwell, an instructor in physics and astronomy, being one of those honored.

The third Monday of January marks one of the most historically significant federal holidays in American history: Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Phillips Exeter Academy certainly rose to the occasion, honoring the monumental legacy of Dr. King and the profound impact he had on American society.

It’s just you and your opponent. Both of you stand within the confines of these four walls, trapped not just physically but, more importantly, imprisoned mentally.

As a student-led performance, the directors of UnSilenced worked to coordinate every aspect of the show. For senior Bella Bueno, this year’s production was her second year as director.

On a brisk winter morning, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafts through downtown Exeter, mingling with the faint hum of passing cars and the chatter of pedestrians.

During Phillips Exeter Academy’s admissions process, prospective Exonians inevitably come across what is arguably the most essential document created by Exeter each year: the Courses of Instruction (COI), a repository of all Exeter courses being offered.

On Tuesday, Oct. 22, after 9 p.m., seniors gathered together in the Elizabeth Phillips Academy Center while enjoying various pastries, snacks, and hot chocolate. This, however, was not an average Tuesday, but the exciting first Senior Grill of the year.

On Tuesday, Oct., 22, Professor James Wilkerson gave an assembly about toxic masculinity and the harm it can cause to boys, men, and society at-large.

Every year, for a weekend in September, campus teems with the life of its current, and past generations. Often seen through classroom doors and walking the paths, alumni return to campus not just to reminisce on their time at the Academy and reflect on all its change, but also for an important mission: Exeter Leadership Weekend. This year, it was held on the weekend of Sept. 20.

On the morning of Sept. 6, the first day of academic classes, the annual opening assembly was held to commence the 2024-25 school year, the 244th year in the history of Phillips Exeter Academy.

By ISHAAN SINGH, ALLEGRA LAI, CHLOE LIND, and MARVIN SHIM  Christopher Matlack has served as a biology instructor and former department chair of...

By LUCY JUNG, LAUREN LEE, CHLOÉ LIND, and JADE YOO Should you walk over to the athletic fields on a Wednesday afternoon, you’ll see him competing...

By SAM ALDERMAN, ISABEL EVANS, CHLOE LIND, ADELLE PITTS, and LEO ZHANG As the first term of the school year, the fall can be daunting for many; ac...

By ELLEN JIN and CHLOÉ LIND Every Sunday at 11 a.m. in the Elm Street Dining Hall, members of the Exie Blog club pick up brunch and take it up...

From the moment the first pitch hits the glove, Big Red’s baseball and softball teams have their heads in the game. The softball team, led by captains Paris Tran ‘26, Paige Sweet ‘26, and Maria Fotin ‘25, has maintained an impressive average, winning four out of the six games played thus far. ​

CJ Smith’s Exeter experience was not defined by the destination, but by the ongoing process of doing itself. In the kaleidoscope of personalities that is Phillips Exeter Academy, Smith emerges as a beacon of curiosity, emotional aptitude, and unwavering confidence. Smith has become an integral part of the Exeter community and is no stranger to assuming leadership roles on campus. He is the Editor-in-Chief of MATTER Magazine, as well as the co-head of Mock Trial and Republican Club. For three years, Smith was a runner for the Junior Varsity and Varsity Track Teams, and in the past, he has been an active member of the Daniel Webster Debate Society. However, his Exeter journey is not one of mere achievement.

On April 15, students were beckoned inside the Assembly Hall for an unforgettable assembly — one that not only inspired an appreciation for the fight against racial inequity in the United States but also challenged each listener to reflect on their own role in building a more just community at Exeter. Rev. Wheeler Parker, the last living witness of the lynching of Emmett Till in 1955, stood at the podium and delivered a Tuesday assembly speech like no other, recounting the chilling facts of his late cousin’s fate.

The third Monday of January marks one of the most historically significant federal holidays in American history: Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Phillips Exeter Academy certainly rose to the occasion, honoring the monumental legacy of Dr. King and the profound impact he had on American society.

Quadratic equations and 400-meter dashes may seem oddly disconnected at first, but Sarr manages both his duties on campus with zeal, a lighthearted demeanor, and a relentless spirit. Instructor in mathematics Makhtar Sarr is not only an integral part of the Exeter community — he unites it.

By ISABEL EVANS, ANGELA HE, CHLOÉ LIND, and JADE YOO As the 2023-24 school year comes to

By CHLOÉ LIND, LOGAN LIU and JADE YOOOn Saturday, April 27, Exeter hosted its annual Relay for L

By ALEX LIM, CHLOÉ LIND, ADELLE PITTS and MEGHAN TATE ZEEDay, day, principal’s day! Once a

By SAM ALTMAN, LAUREN LEE, CHLOÉ LIND, and TRUMAN YEE In the wake of new changes, student

By SAM ATLMAN, LAUREN LEE, and CHLOÉ LIND Recently, as political tension in the United St

By TEDDY CAPOZZI, AMY LIN, CHLOE LIND, CIARA O’NEILL and GRACIELLA POLOMAR  On Tuesday,