Contributing writer Asta Huang ’27 sat down with four members of the Prep class to discuss their first weeks on campus and some of their goals for the year.
Guinevere Barrientos | Rutledge, Missouri
Why did you choose Hotchkiss?
It was the school that cared about me the most. I could tell from my tour and Revisit Day that the community was extremely welcoming and friendly.
What is a class you hope to take?
I hope to take Native American Literature with Ms. Repass and especially read some texts by Leslie Marmon Silko. She’s one of my favorite authors.
What’s one thing that has surprised you about the school so far?
I’m pleasantly surprised that I made such amazing friends in such a short time. There are so many opportunities to hang out with and meet new people here.
What are some of your goals?
I want to become stronger academically and grow as a person by meeting new people and hearing their diverse perspectives.
What dorm are you in, and what’s your favorite thing about it?
I am in Flinn. My favorite thing about it is the small dorm community. I am able to bond with my dormmates really well.
What are you looking forward to this year?
I am looking forward to getting to know more people and having interesting conversations with peers around campus.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself!
I have two goats, and my family grows vegetables at home sometimes!
Wyatt Groves | Bronxville, New York
Why did you choose Hotchkiss?
I chose Hotchkiss because my mom went here. I am especially excited to explore Fairfield Farm.
What is a class you hope to take here?
I am excited for any classes related to history or economics, as history is my favorite subject.
What’s one thing that has surprised you about the school so far?
I am surprised by the large workload. I was expecting it to be difficult, but I didn’t know what it would feel like. Therefore, coming here and experiencing it firsthand has been challenging.
What do you hope to get out of your time here?
I hope to make life-long friends, have a transformative education, and elevate myself. I want to reach the sixth level in French and maybe even start taking Spanish. I also want to feel confident by Senior year about my academic and extracurricular passions.
What dorm are you in, and what’s your favorite thing about it?
I am in Memorial. I love it, because it’s so clean and fancy.
What are you looking forward to this year?
I am looking forward to being the Prep Class co-president and all of the fun events I can hopefully plan.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself!
I’ve been baking bread for four years!
Amelia Ham | Chicago, Illinois
Why did you choose Hotchkiss?
Hotchkiss was the very first boarding school I toured. I fell in love with the campus, and I feel like Hotchkiss’s academics were at a much higher pace, which I was looking for.
What’s one thing that has surprised you about the school so far?
There’s so much free time and many activities to do in the evenings and on the weekends. There is a really nice balance between free time and time structured for our academics. I’ve especially enjoyed playing Mario Kart in the Student Center, in addition to star gazing at the observatory.
What do you hope to get out of your time here?
I want to learn more about myself through my classes and by meeting new people and exploring campus.
What dorm are you in, and what’s your favorite thing about it?
I am in Redlich. My favorite thing about it is that each floor has a unique vibe, and I really appreciate my floor’s climate. It can be both fun and chill, depending on the time of day and week.
What are you looking forward to this year?
I am looking forward to the ski season when there will be shuttles to the slopes. I really want to try snowboarding.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself!
Russian is my first language!
Kam Shahid | Guilford, Conneticut
Why did you choose Hotchkiss?
The main reason is that I’ve grown up supporting the school at cross country meets, because both of my parents went here. After going through the whole application process, I decided that this is the place I want to be.
What is a class you hope to take here?
I really want to take a class on advanced music theory. I’m not a performing music artist, but I really like music theory, because I’m a producer. I think learning more about jazz theory would benefit me.
What’s one thing that has surprised you about the school so far?
So far, the level of community and the depth of the support system has really blown me away. All of my teachers are really supportive, and I can talk to them whenever. I am also grateful for my proctors and the other people in my dorm.
What are some of your goals for your time here?
I want to grow academically and as a person, become more socially adept, and learn new ways to be myself. My dad is a radiologist, and I’ve always had an interest in the medical field, so I signed up for the shadow a doctor program through the Medical Society. One of my goals is to take some of the biology, chemistry, biochemistry classes to help expose me to the field.
What are you looking forward to this year?
I’m looking forward to rowing in the spring and getting into the swing of things in my classes, as most of them are still in the introductory stage.
