Students celebrate Hill spirit at the pep rally!
Megan '13
I experienced my first Lawrenceville Weekend last year as a third former. This year I felt the weekend from a different perspective. I believe the real difference came from having L'ville Weekend on campus as opposed to being at Lawrenceville last year. Throughout Spirit Week the excitement just kept growing: I felt it in the hallways, in the Dining Hall, and especially at practice. Waiting to be collected by your team captain after the Red Meat Dinner on Friday night can only be compared to the wait on Christmas morning. After running all the way through Dutch Village then down to Mercer Field House, I was a little out of breath; but walking into the pep rally in the gym you have your breath taken away... from all the screaming and cheering, that is. This year's pep rally skits were fantastic and the step team's performance was amazing. This truly is my favorite time a year. To me, L'ville Weekend is most easily related to Christmas. Just as you don't care what presents you get Christmas morning, it doesn't matter whether your team wins or loses to Lawrenceville. What matters is that we all come together as a school to represent Hill and give L'ville the best shot we have. Winning both the JV and varsity games for water polo really added the cherry on top to the season. I don't think I could have wished for a better L'ville Weekend. I hope Christmas can equal it this year, but it's going to be a tough one to beat!
Chris '11
This year’s Lawrenceville festivities marked my second as a Hill a student. Although this sacred week is steeped with tradition and rituals, I cannot help but say that this year was a little different, in a good way. The week started off with the usual dress-down days and excitement. There was noticeable confusion though as students walked into the Dining Hall on Monday not welcomed by the mind numbing spoon banging; however, later in the week the Dining Hall became as loud as I have ever seen it around noon every day. The whole school became invested this year. Friday’s pep rally was something to be seen! Being a sixth former, I knew that I wanted to make this year’s weekend something to remember, and it certainly was. The bonfire was a perfect end to a long week of festivities leading into the most exciting weekend of Hill athletics. Since I do not play a fall sport I was able to walk around and watch every game on Saturday. The weather was unusually warm for November, which was another great ending to yet again another remarkable Lawrenceville Week.
Ellen '11
Being a fall athlete veteran, I was looking forward to this year’s Lawrenceville week. It is one of my favorite times of year because everyone is positive and always has school spirit. With theme days, banging spoons, seeing the banners hang in the Dining Hall, the Red Meat Dinner, the pep rally/bonfire, and then playing and seeing the actual games, L'ville this year was one of the best by far. This year, the pep rally was a big hit! Most of the fall sports teams had skits that had a lot of thought put into them, and the emcees were great with keeping the crowd involved. On Saturday, playing in my last L'ville Weekend game was emotional, but I felt great getting that last win and representing Hill. After my game, my team and I went out to support the other teams. With all the support of the fall teams, Lawrenceville Weekend really shows how close of a community Hill is, which is why I love being here.
Cynthia '14
As I ran down to the Dell, with my friends in hand, a rush of excitement waved over the crowd. The bonfire was blazing bright oranges and reds, cackling with apprehension, tradition, and competition. Kids were chanting and screaming, laughing and cheering. After the whole escapade was over and everyone began dispersing, my friends and I walked away, glazed donuts given to us from a nearby table in hand. The next morning, our field hockey team played hard—and well. We had worked pretty much all season for this one game, to beat the Big Red. At the end of our last game of the season, I went to the football game, and the aura was incredible. There was so much spirit from students, alumni, and families washing over the stands, as the drums were beat, and horns blown. We celebrated with a victory dance later that night, colored lights flashing, and the bass blasting through the gym. The next day, as I was walking into town with a friend, I stopped in my tracks at the site of where the bonfire had been two nights ago. Blue foam fingers, pom-poms, and some donuts were scattered in a circular heap across the ground. The ashes of the old bonfire were piled up, charred and black. Our gleaming, smoldering fire of Lawrenceville week 2010, including the banging of the spoons, pep rally, dance, the many games we won, and of course, the bonfire, was now a pile of ashes, only to be re-ignited next year, when all of us here at The Hill School will dominate the Larries once again!
Grace '14
My first L’ville Week is something I probably will never forget. There was a lot of noise, fun, and school spirit. Everyone got really into it, and it was a side of The Hill I hadn’t really seen before. The spirit week theme days were well thought out, and pretty much everyone participated by wearing the suggested clothing. The spoon banging in the Dining Hall got everyone really riled up and ready for the weekend. It was one of my favorite parts. The pep rally was so much fun. I liked watching all the skits and the step team perform. Everyone was showing so much school spirit! On the actual day where L’ville traveled from their school to ours, I had a lot of fun watching the sports games. I mostly watched football, which was really intense and exciting. There were lots of cheers going on, and it was all around a very spirited and fun environment. All together, I had a fantastic time during L’ville Weekend and I can’t wait for it to happen again next year!