Thanks to PSAT testing, Parent-Teacher Conferences, and the Headmaster’s Holiday, Delbarton lower classmen recently enjoyed a 4 ½ day weekend and seniors had a five-day break from classes, from October 16th to October 20th. This was the first break of the 2019-2020 school year, and everyone, freshmen and seniors alike, was excited to recoup and unwind. 

          After surveying many freshmen, I found that almost all of them planned to use this opportunity to get some sleep and do homework. Most of them revealed that it has been tough making the transition to high school, as they are getting a lot less sleep now. They see this extended weekend as a prime opportunity to spend some more time with Mr. Sandman. In addition, they hoping to get some work done on their freshman projects, which represent a very significant part of a freshman’s first year’s experience at Delbarton. 

          Among the sophomores the response was similar, with “I am going to sleep” and “I am going to catch up on work” the common response.  In addition, a few of them are looking forward to “The Hunt”, a very popular horse race that took place this Saturday, October 19th in Far Hills.

          The answers I received from the juniors and seniors were almost identical. Like the sophomores, many are planning on going to “The Hunt” and spending time with friends. There are, however, some important sporting events that limit the options of many juniors and seniors. The football players play our arch-nemesis, Seton Hall Prep, on Saturday and Wave soccer plays Mendham on Thursday, the first full day of break for lower classmen. 

          Finally, upperclassmen are using this weekend for college-related tasks. Some juniors are visiting colleges and getting a head start on the time-consuming process of applying to colleges. Some seniors are also visiting colleges during this time, but the vast majority of them are working on college applications and putting their final touches on early applications, most of which are due November 1st. 

          Ultimately, whether it’s spent sleeping, doing homework, spending time with friends and family, or working on college applications, this “long weekend” provided Delbarton students a great chance to not only recover from the grueling start to the year, but also plan for the end to the fall term,which is only four weeks away and wraps-up on November 15.