The teachers challenged me more than ever before, and I found that even in the first couple weeks of college, that Kent really had set an environment that compared pretty closely to a college setting. The teachers are funny, it being not a public school, they can say whatever they like, and not always get away with it, and may be forced to take sabbaticals, but that happens seldom. Besides that, most teachers are there to help you succeed and move on to the next step in your life, and the small ratio of Students to teachers (average of about 12 to 1) helps them to get to know you, and they are always there to help, or at least most of the teachers are.

Some teachers seem to be really out to get you, or maybe that was just me. The teachers come and go so often, and so therefore they feel like Kent is only a stepping stone to something better and don't take the full aspects of their job seriously, and will be hard graders and won't be there to help you when you are having a rough time. I had this experience with a couple teachers, especially Senior year when all I needed was to hear a helpful word and my advisor refused to be supportive. A big hint, if you don't get a good advisor when you get to Kent, switch as soon or as often as you deem necessary until you find one who you can relate well to. There is no punishment for switching. Also, go to your teachers for help, do not be afraid, or else you might miss out. Most of them are there to help the students, whatever it takes. Plus getting to know them helps them be lenient if you need extra time on an assignment.

The competitive spirit in some of the coaches really pushed me harder. The JV soccer coach is a classic example of a player's coach. He pushed us harder than we thought was possible and never lost my senior year, including a huge win over Loomis in the biggest game of the year. Along with good coaching came our unbeatable confidence that led to huge goals, to note one, a professional-level goal from the captain against Taft, that sparked us for the rest of the year. The facilities are well-maintained, the shirts are in surplus and free, and the 10 minute walk to practice gives plenty of time for reflection. The baseball team is improving after the departure of an overly relaxed coach, and the crew team is ever popular and strong, although a cult of sorts. Great way to get into college though.

The parents were too pushy at times, not mine, but the ones who donate money. Let the kids play.

The art program has some great teachers who encourage freedom of thought, as well as drawing on the walls. No building in the school is devoid of student artwork. The facilities are pretty good and readily available.

The theater program has been weakened over the past few years and it doesn't seem to attract much of an audience, but that is only because the school does not advertise well, and does not let the families know of any events relating to the arts, which is a major flaw in the school. I went to the school for four years, and my parents never knew about any of my concerts or the plays. They knew about every single one of my brother's plays and concerts at Taft even before he did.

The newspaper is great. Teachers and students alike submit funny articles and pictures, and the staff encourages writers to join. The clubs offered at Kent reach out to a lot of groups, and there will always be something to do to put on your college apps, or something that appeals to your interests.

Again, advertising was weak. Parents almost never knew what their kids were doing in the extracurriculars, they just saw the pictures in the yearbooks and a shirt that the kids brought home. Something has to be done about that, I was just too lazy.

What wasn't the best thing? Oh, the big big dorm heads. If you're in the wrong dorms, you can get in trouble if you go to the bathroom at the wrong time. Schoolhouse was a legend, but is no longer, the last of the Schoolhouse breed will graduate this year. Most dorms are a lot stricter than they used to be, and I guess it's for the better, although it won't seem it. It sucks to have to be back at 10 or 10:30 for checkin, but those are the breaks. Lots of fun times were had in the dorms, it's where you make the most of your friends.

Living with horrible roommates can be a big pain. Check in was brutal at times, and often called ridiculous. Some dorm heads have too much joy in abusing their power to make a kid feel like he has commmitted a moral sin. Others are not as harsh. Others kick the contents of your room into the hallway. It's the luck of the draw.

the ice cream was good, the pizza was good about every other day when it wasn't too "creative", like the caramel and peanut butter calzones...other than that, there was always something to eat, always something to snack on, even if it was the same thing day in and day out. They finally got the pasta right, thank god.

The way the groups gathered in the cobwebby corners of the dining hall so they couldn't be seen together. The dining crew doesn't always give good game day food, and something has to be done about special occasions. Pamper the parents on parents' weekend, they want to see where their tuition is going! And the graduation dinner was three strips of chicken, a mushroom, and a shred of lettuce with a pack of ranch dressing in a plastic container. Nobody was too impressed. Students shrugged because it was nothing unusual.

The times when everybody is the nicest are the first two weeks of school, and the last week of school. Everybody wants to meet new people, so be outgoing and you will meet lots of cool people. The seniors were my best friends when I moved into the dorms freshman year, and helped me out with everything, made me feel like I fit in, and you get along better with everyone if you aren't a pain, and you dont hide in your room all the time.

Students come from all over, it's crazy how many foreign kids there are there. Everybody gets along pretty well though.

Go into town. Buy coffee or hot chocolate, whatever your preference. Sit down outside the coffee shop. Watch people go by, talk to some of them. Buy more drinks. Repeat. OR, in the spring, play frisbee on club fields or chapel lawn, or just lie outside. There is so much land to do so much with there, you have to take advantage of it.

The town was homely, small, but pretty nice overall. The market and the Chinese Togo were popular, and if you have more money, you could step it up to the Pizza Garden, which took longer but ultimately produced some great food, especially the burgers. The market smelled horrible, but just wear another shirt over when you go in and you'll be fine afterwards. Here's the secret: order a ZZ special- breaded chicken on a grinder with extra spicy mustard, extra muenster cheese, bacon, lettuce, and mayo. Guaranteed pleasure. Avoid the punky townies, get around the town curfew, and all will be fine.