Anya Bixby

At Hotchkiss, there are really only two goals: be happy and succeed. Most chase the  second  without  realizing  it’s  nearly impossible without the first. You can define success however you want—grades, sports, art, friendships—but whatever it is, it comes easier  when  you’re  healthy,  rested,  and genuinely excited about life.

Step 1: Reframe. You’re not “just getting through.” That mindset will make every day feel like a chore. Instead, view each day as a gift and an opportunity. Learn to learn. Smile at everyone. Talk to people you don’t know. Stop bringing your phone to Main. (I promise, if someone needs you urgently, they’ll reach you via iMessage, not Snapchat).

Step 2: Build routines. Go. To. Breakfast. Seriously. Listen to news or a podcast on your walk there. Some early morning perspective will remind you there’s a world outside your Calc test. Plus, eating in the morning will help you feel more awake, accomplished, and ready for the class day.

Step 3: Use your downtime well. Doom- scrolling isn’t rest. Do the NYT games with a friend. Journal. Do yoga in your room. Just spend some time with your thoughts. Seriously.

Step 4: Do things. Say yes. Try something new. Coxing, JV hockey, astronomy club— none of these activities were part of my plan, but they brought me joy and people I love. Make the first move! Just because people aren’t  inviting  you  to  do  things  doesn’t mean they don’t want to hang out with you. Actually, they’re probably thinking the exact same thing. Ask someone to walk to On The Run. Go to open swim. Engage in all the little Hotchkiss  happenings.  Most  importantly, get out of your own head! We’re all stressed about ourselves, so do your thing! Do it well, and do it with confidence.

Hotchkiss is hard. But it’s also beautiful, fun, and full of people and moments worth remembering. Soak it in. Be happy. Succeed.

William Yee

When I first saw the sign-ups for chapel reflections,  I  mentally  noted  the  deadline and then forgot about it. Since Prep year, I’ve wanted desperately to speak at the podium. Unfortunately,  when  the  Senior  reflection schedules  were  released,  I  realized  I  had missed my chance.

This missed opportunity joins other “I’ll do that Senior year” items. I have never been in a mainstage play, participated in a Black Box, or checked other items off my bucket list. I always assumed I’d get to it “next year.”

I am now laying in bed writing this last minute  reflection  for  The  Record.  To  be honest,  I  originally  missed  the  sign-up deadline for this too, but I was miraculously given  the  opportunity  to  contribute  by  a close friend. It seems that I didn’t learn.

I would like to use this space to check the “Senior reflection” box, the “writing for The Record box,” and hopefully inspire others to take advantage of all the opportunities Hotchkiss has to offer.

My contentment  with my Hotchkiss experience  greatly outweighs my regrets. My time here allows me to confidently say that I took advantage of Hotchkiss’ many opportunities.

I implore you to go rock climbing, play pick-up  ultimate,  indoor/beach  volleyball, and badminton.

Go to a random club meeting, rekindle old friendships or begin new ones. Take those HMS EMT classes, visit all the cabins in Beeslick, or go bird-watching.

I am currently working on going to the lake for the first time this spring—I have been too “busy” to go and now, with days left, the weather won’t prevent me from getting a chance to go before I graduate.

Please, wherever you are in your time here, sign up for that thing you have been putting off and enjoy it fully now. It will be one less thing you’ll regret you never tried before you graduated.

Miranda Beitel

When reflecting on my four years here, I was debating what I wanted to share. I could tell you how much I have loved it, that you should take advantage of new opportunities or  be  friendly  to  everyone,  but  instead  I wanted to share a piece of advice I think is  applicable  to  everyone:  Whatever  you aspire to—stepping into leadership, learning something new, or changing the world—the most important thing is the actions you take, not the ideas you have.

As a Prep, I loved coming up with ideas for things that I thought would change Hotchkiss, whether it was dodgeball tournament for the Prep class, working towards gender equality in robotics as a Lower Mid, or promoting AI policy reform as a Senior, I have always had so many ideas I hoped would improve the Hotchkiss experience. But the truth is, my ideas didn’t matter if I didn’t make them happen. I realized I needed to execute on one idea and see it all the way through.

As I grew and took on more leadership roles, like class council and being the head of No Place for Hate, I learned that seeing one idea to its fulfillment is way more impactful than simply having ten good ideas.

In my experience, an emphasis on ideas over action has been the downfall of many clubs here. In principle, all clubs have a purpose and could be impactful, but many of us don’t realize how much harder it is to follow through rather than just dream. Yes, action is way less fun than generating ideas, takes about three times longer than you think, and doesn’t always work out. But the follow-through, not the ideas, is what builds the legacy.

Max Salzinger

This is the second draft of my Record Senior Reflection. I originally wanted to simply criticize the slogan “safe, seen, and supported,” replacing it with something more grounded in accountability, challenge, and growth, rather than passive comfort.

But as I revised this draft late at night, still glowing from performing my dream cello piece with the Hartford Symphony, I began to see that these words meant more than I had allowed. That performance wasn’t just the result of discipline or ambition, for example. It was the product of a family and community that made space for both vulnerability and rigor. I was safe enough in my playing to take musical risks, seen enough by teachers and judges to be appropriately challenged, and supported enough by important adults in my life to endure failures that helped prepare me for the moment.

At Hotchkiss, I’ve experienced intense pressure and transformation. But what made that growth sustainable wasn’t just grit. It was knowing that someone was listening, that my voice mattered, and that even in moments of doubt, I was not alone.

I still believe that true growth demands discomfort. But I now see that “safe, seen, and supported” doesn’t have to mean softness or passivity. Rather, it can mean the strength we give one another to strive, fall, and rise again.

Charlotte Wood

Four years feels like forever. That’s what 14-year-old me thought when I first laid eyes on Buehler, as a storm of proctors swarmed my car to help move me in. From B115 to T008, Hotchkiss has always been a place I adore. But the school will always be more than a place. It’s a collection of people, memories, and conversations that make me feel at home.

To future and current students reading this: the unfamiliar and challenging parts of this place make it more fulfilling. Take the classes that push you. Try new cocurriculars, even if you are the worst on the team. Talk to new people on your floor. As I look back, what I remember most are the memories and friendships that have come from the hardest parts of the school.

This fall, Ms. Wilson told me that when I look back at the school, what I remember won’t be the tests I bombed or the English essays I wrote, but the moments when I was truly present. Now, I can confirm she was correct. The only thing I would change about my time here would be to have gone to even more Black Boxes, sports games, club meetings, and speakers, and never used my work as an excuse to miss out. Thank you to all the people— friends, proctors, teachers, teammates, co-heads, and classmates—who have been a part of my Hotchkiss.

Anthony Hu

When it rains in May, the lake is a cloud from afar, and words wander off in the mist as I sit, the draft of an essay in hand, observing the view from the music wing foyer. I pick up my umbrella to take a stroll outside.

I’ve been searching for a feeling in  the  rain.  Light  as  the  smell of  bitter  melon  in  my  grandpa’s backyard,  but  restless  like  this breathing country. It might be a relief  that  people  become  small on these days as I pass them by. Or the rare content that we unite as the audience of a single scene. Perhaps a disturbance – raindrops, streams, and little boats of leaves as they move through the world and take with them my stagnant days. Erratic, unbothered, and alive, it reaches under my skin. Let it be. Dissolve the dead cells. Let me be lost in its waves and never fear to drown. Let me seek so many meanings in what is mine for only a short time.

There is the answer growing in the rain. My high school years were nourished like this, by unexpected but meaningful events. By music, walks, movie nights, and all that was unplanned for. For hours, I threw my planner aside to enter a pouring world and let it enter my memories and dreams. These are what remain from a place I endlessly love.

Anna Ruiz

For a long time, I was always searching for how to feel worthy. It seemed like everyone around me had their “thing”—the sport they excelled at, the instrument they mastered, or the academic passion they pursued with intensity. I often felt invisible, believing I had nothing to define me, making me question if I would ever fit in.

Through my time here at Hotchkiss, I’ve learned that nothing is more important than being yourself and being kind. High school is a constant wave of challenges, but that’s why it’s vital to focus on what you can control: the type of person you want people to know you to be. You never know what someone else is going through, so a little empathy goes a long way. Simple gestures—a smile in the hallway, holding the door open, or sitting with someone alone— can lift someone’s spirits. What truly matters is how you make others feel. Those people who made me feel seen, checked in on me, and believed in me have shaped who I am today.

So, to everyone still searching for their “thing” and questioning their worth: you are enough. Your achievements don’t determine your value. Embrace relationships, be kind, be bold, and be unapologetically yourself. In a world of accolades, it’s not how we outdo each other but how we uplift one another that creates a cherished community long after we leave these gates.

Oleh Shtunder

Going to Hotchkiss, I changed the country, continent, and even the language I was used to. Coming from a small public school in Ukraine to one of the top U.S. boarding schools was both exciting and terrifying. At home, I excelled: I competed in academic Olympiads and had many achievements. But coming to Hotchkiss as an Upper Mid, I had to relearn almost everything. I knew the material, but in the wrong language. And with that came a bigger fear: Will I matter? Before arriving, I asked myself how I could contribute to an institution over 130 years old and had no answer.

My first months were a mix of struggle and excitement. I met some of the most incredible people. I lived with students who truly cared about what they did. At the same time, I struggled to keep up. Now, reflecting on the last two years, I feel content. Despite early setbacks, I did everything I had hoped for and more. I regained academic ground, made close friends, and achieved things I never imagined. Most importantly, I feel my time here mattered. Through robotics, Hotchkiss For Ukraine, and other activities, I connected with the community and impacted lives beyond campus. I’m deeply grateful for everything this school has given me, especially its people. Hotchkiss changed my life in ways I couldn’t have imagined, and I’ll always be thankful for that.