Last week marked the halfway point of the Academy’s 2025 winter trimester. Students were notified about their midterm grades by their advisors, and most classes held Midterm Effort To Improve Classes (METIC) sessions, where students discussed their opinions on improving classes.

When thinking of video games that defined my childhood, one game sticks out as a game I have loved for as long as I can remember, and as one I can still play and enjoy to this day. That game is none other than Subway Surfers. Most well-known for its iconic theme song and brilliant graphics, Subway Surfers is a game loved by thousands in every generation. If you’ve never played Subway Surfers before, it’s a very simple concept. You, a subway vandal, are evading a police officer by running through the train tracks. However, in addition to escaping the police, you are attempting to stay alive by avoiding oncoming trains and barriers and collecting power-ups. As if this weren’t complex enough, you can also complete side quests and collect coins to unlock new characters, hoverboards, and rewards. So maybe it’s not actually that simple. The game is also set in various cities, changing every couple of months or so. With each change, there are monthly challenges, themes, and limited characters, all meant to draw you back and keep you playing every day. There is another meaning to Subway Surfers. Across train systems, but especially in New York, subway surfing is a very real phenomenon. Mainly performed by kids, subway surfing is the act of standing on top of a subway car as it barrels along the track. Unfortunately, subway surfing took the lives of six people in New York City last year. But does this trend have anything to do with the 13-year-old game, or is the lure of subway surfing something else entirely? Mayor Eric Adams, Governor Kathy Hochul, and MTA chairman Janno Lieber seem to think the former. In 2023, they sent a letter to the makers of the Subway Surfers game, urging them to change the game drastically, citing the lack of safety messaging in the app as a major issue. While it is true that there are no safety warnings in the game, the game is very different from the issue facing New York. Real subway surfing is usually just the act of sitting or walking on the trains, not running around or jumping from car to car. It is also worth noting that subway surfing has been a thing since the 1930s, while the game Subway Surfers was released in 2012. Even though there has been a rise in subway surfing incidents since 2018, it is doubtful that it took six years for the game to affect the number of surfing incidents. But there has to be something that caused the rise in surfing incidents. The most probable answer is social media. Social media has given a spotlight to illegal behaviors, reaching a young audience that is uniquely impressionable. Social media has allowed for the glorification of subway surfing, thus leading to this increase in surfing incidents. Even though I don’t think that Subway Surfers cause subway surfing, I think there is a connection between the two. The glorification of subway surfing on social media has influenced hundreds to disregard danger and put their lives at risk for a thrill. Subway Surfers makes light of a heavy topic with fun colors and bright graphics. Just because Subway Surfers might not influence people to surf like Mayor Adams thought, there is something to be said about how Subway Surfers may normalize activities like running away from police, tagging trains, and playing in train tracks. When you die in the game, the game simply goes “uh oh!” and takes you back to the home screen, glossing over the real-life implications of marketing this to young children. This isn’t to say that Subway Surfers needs to become more graphic or taken down, but I believe that it is worth thinking about how Subway Surfers mimics real life and how creating fun out of a serious situation could affect young users of the game.

By MELIA THIBAULT ‘27 This past Friday, Feb. 7, upper Lauren Lee was elected student council president for the 2025-2026 term. This comes after a long election process, which included a primary election, a presidential runoff debate, and finally a runoff election. Lee currently resides in Wheelwright on campus, grew up in Hong Kong, but now lives in New Jersey. Lee is also involved in many extracurriculars on campus, including Daniel Webster Debate Society, Mock Trial, Democratic Club, Concert Choir, and PEADs. Reflecting on how these activities have benefitted her, Lee stated, “Not only have these extracurriculars enabled me to connect with students of all grade levels, they have instilled in me a deep appreciation for oration and communication. I hope these skills will serve me well in office.” When deciding to run for office, Lee cited her past experience serving as co-secretary on the Executive Board of student council this past term as a source of motivation for her. “I served as co-secretary last year, and I was closely involved in the Exec Board’s discussions with the administration, faculty, and trustees. I have a deep love for the students of this school, and felt as though my communication skills would allow me to act as a fierce advocate for the students body,” she said. However, the campaigning process would prove to be a demanding and stressful process. When asked about it, Lee stated, “It was hard, as always. Very stressful. I felt as though at times I was unfairly judged due to the presence of implicit biases and common societal opinion on how a leader should look and how a woman should act.” Adding on to the idea of being unfairly judged, Lee said, “I often heard from well-meaning friends and peers that I was being too ‘bold,’ and that some of their classmates were criticizing me on the basis of my ‘aggression.’ It was all in good faith, but I knew that I wanted to be myself, win or lose.” Despite how formidable these challenges may have seemed, Lee rose to the occasion to overcome all the obstacles in her path. However, she did not do that alone. “My dorm community was instrumental in getting me through the campaign stress,” Lee reflected. “Even though I wrestled with my frustrations with the election process as a whole and the unfair criticism I was victim of, my Wheelies stayed steadfast in their support. They reminded me that I was worthy of being a presidential candidate, no matter what.” Lee recounted the moment that she received the news that she would be the next president. “I received an email from the StuCo advisors, Dean Marshall and Ms. Rankin, five minutes before the all-school email was sent out. I was elated, no doubt about it, but it didn’t feel real. It wasn’t until the all-school email was sent out, and screams and shrieks rang through the halls of Wheelwright, that I fully realized the weight of the moment.” She added how her friends in her dorm supported her throughout this undertaking. “Lovely preps, lowers, uppers, and seniors barricaded me and enveloped me in a group hug. I broke down into tears — the stress of the past week had been difficult and the vitriolic statements and rumors had beat me down, but the love of my friends reminded me of my purpose.” Now that she has been elected into office, there are many things Lee hopes to accomplish in the term ahead. For the larger goals she had in mind, Lee mentioned advocating for a new day student driving policy for seniors. This would allow for students, with parental permission, to be driven around by licensed day students within the Exeter area. Additionally, Lee has two smaller initiatives she hopes to pass in the upcoming year. The first initiative is the creation of a Dining Hall Student Input Committee, a committee dedicated to giving feedback to dining hall managers from the student perspective, allowing for improvements to be made that will positively impact students. The second initiative Lee hopes to spearhead is the push for a day off from school for Lunar New Year. Lee cited the importance of the holiday to many cultures across Asia, as well as the benefits to student’s mental health that a day off would provide. Lee believes that she will be able to accomplish these tasks for many reasons, the biggest one being her ability to listen. “In the midst of the political turmoil of the external world and the everyday stress in the internal Exeter bubble, I believe making students feel seen and heard is paramount to maintaining student mental health and community. To be a good singer, debater, and speaker means necessarily being a good listener. My three-pronged policy plan as well as my interactions with fellow students throughout my three years in Student Council reflects the esteem in which I hold this conviction.” After such a hard-fought victory, many people would relax and enjoy their win, taking a break from the chaos and work. But for Lee, this is just the beginning. With three years of student council experience and numerous other extracurricular achievements already behind her, Lee has demonstrated countless times her strong work ethic and communication. With these skills, as well as a strong community behind her, it is certain she will be able to accomplish great things in her upcoming term.

Throughout athletic events, the roars of the PEA student section can be heard above all else, and the Big Red Zone team is the epicenter. The school’s hype squad is composed of six seniors dedicated to ensuring that Big Red athletes receive the support they deserve. They are in charge of theme coordination and driving student attendance at athletic events. Even more importantly, they are in charge of hyping the crowd up at games so that Big Red never loses its spirit.

On April 27, students gathered in Rink A to participate in Relay for Life, an annual event dedicated to raising funds for cancer research. Students who participated in this event enjoyed a variety of student-run stations that ranged from jousting to burger grilling. Halfway through the event, a Luminaria performance invited audience members to hold electronic candles and listen to the experiences of those who were affected by cancer. Together, the school community raised over $5,000 in funds for the American Cancer Society.

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 Saturday, Feb. 9, the girls’ varsity basketball team faced off against Pingree School. The fight was hard, but sadly, they were beaten at the last second with a final score of 46 to 43.

On the quiet Wednesday morning of Feb. 12, students trekked through snow and frozen-over paths to Phillips Church, eager to hear the weekly senior meditation. At 9:50 a.m., senior Dara Ogunwale stood before them, ready to share her melodic story—a harmony of words, memories, and music that filled the air.

Many students were shocked upon first opening their winter term schedules on myExeter. The infamous 70 minute long block had been shortened to 60 minutes, and the beloved 40 minute short block had disappeared entirely—changes reminiscent of last spring’s pilot schedule.

On Nov. 5, the United States 2024 presidential elections will take place. Republican nominee Donald Trump, with Senator JD Vance as his running mate, is against Democrat nominee Kamala Harris and her running mate, Governor Tim Walz. Exeter students can vote in the general elections if they are eligible, older than 18 years old, and have an ID and proof of residency in New Hampshire. As a result of efforts of political clubs on campus working with the administration, the last of these items has been placed in the PO box of eligible students. Students can either register to vote at the Exeter Town Hall in advance of Election Day or can do so the day of at the polling place for Exeter Students, Talbot Gym at the School of Technology.

The Roger A. Nekton Championship pool houses several teams throughout the year: the boys’ water polo team in the fall, the boys’ and girls’ swim and dive team in the winter, and the girls’ water polo team in the spring. As the girls’ water polo team trains and competes throughout the spring term, they bring spirit, determination, and enthusiasm to the 25-yard competition pool. Water polo is demanding, requiring constant movement, intense physical contact, and adept ball handling. Guiding their 23 teammates through these challenges are seniors and captains Sophie Phelps and Mya B Scott.

As spring term starts and the lives of Exeter students are in full swing, prospective students have business to attend to: deciding whether or not Exeter is right for them. Luckily, Exeter hosts Experience Exeter, giving admitted students four chances to visit campus, classes, and help with making their decision.

“Because this beast, at which thou criest out, Suffers not any one to pass her way, But so doth harass him, that she destroys him; And has a nature so malign and ruthless, That never doth she glut her greedy will, And after food is hungrier than before.” - Dante, Inferno

“10 Things I Hate About You.” “Notting Hill.” “When Harry Met Sally.” “Love, Actually.” “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.” These household movie names all share one big thing in common: they’re all rom-coms. Rom-coms, or romantic comedies, are a major genre in the film industry, and for good reason. From ‘80s classics to early 2000s favorites to recently released blockbusters like “Anyone But You,” rom-coms have captured people’s hearts all across the world with their irresistible charm and their timeless message of love. This unique genre has the ability to create both joy and laughter, making it beloved by millions of viewers across the world. Unfortunately, however, not everyone likes rom-coms. Shocker, we know. But some describe them as predictable, with unrealistic expectations of romance. And if that’s your opinion, or even if it isn’t, then keep reading, because we love rom-coms, and we think you should, too.

“Grab your friends, wear your florals, and head out to see ‘It Ends With Us’ in theaters!” What would have been a simple promotional phrase has instead become a symbol of the controversy and backlash threatening to derail actress Blake Lively’s career. Since its release in August, the blockbuster movie — adapted from Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel — has been all over the news, but not because of its incredible plot, phenomenal acting, or bold choices. Instead, it’s because of the highly publicized clash between its two stars, Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. These two have raised questions about the original book, the film adaptation, and how the dynamics between the characters they play reflect real-life tensions. So, what does this all mean, and why does it matter?

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.

Everywhere on campus, you see people glued to their phones. At lunch, in Grill, on their way to classes, in assembly. But what are people doing? Some people may be on TikTok, Instagram, or another addicting app, but more often than not, people are sliding their fingers across the phone, trying to put colorful blocks in a row.

Hoyt Hall has a reputation for primarily two things: their crumbly facilities, and their vibrant community. “Hoyt really is an awfully old building,” noted Instructor in Science and Hoyt Dorm Head Caitlyn Sarno. “But I think that builds character! Somehow, we all found a wonderful community in this really awkward character of a building. All of us just care so much about each other, and we wanna take care of one another and spend time together.”

On Jan. 20, 2025, at 12 p.m. EST, President Donald Trump, alongside his running mate Vice President J.D. Vance, was inaugurated as the forty-seventh president in the rotunda of the United States Capitol.

The Regeneron Science Talent Search is America’s oldest and most prestigious science competition for high school students. With 13 Nobel prizes in the alumni, students compete for over $3.1 million in research grants. Last year, Achyuta Rajaram ’24, Alan Bu ’24, and Riya Tyagi ’24 all placed and won awards in this prestigious competition. This year, senior Davido Zhang was named a finalist.

At 5 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 20, members of Exeter’s boys and girls’ varsity crew teams left campus in buses bound for Cambridge, MA. There, they would compete in the annual Head of The Charles Regatta (HOCR)—the world’s largest race of its kind.

This spring season, the Exeter boys’ varsity volleyball team put on an incredible show. Not only did they dominate almost every team they played, but they have accomplished major milestones along the way as well.

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.

This past Friday, Feb. 7, upper Lauren Lee was elected student council president for the 2025-2026 term.

brutal: that moment when i get my test back…

On April 27, students gathered in Rink A to participate in Relay for Life, an annual event dedicated to raising funds for cancer research. Students who participated in this event enjoyed a variety of student-run stations that ranged from jousting to burger grilling.