TOADTalk by Claire Kendrick CdeP 1999: Take Care

Much like Cole Ryder and Mr. Curwen, who spoke yesterday [at Senior Vespers], I too have, of late, found myself reflecting more and more on all the time I've spent at Thacher.

 

I first walked, or was carried, onto this campus at three months old. When I was in first grade, I announced to my parents that I was going to go to Thacher, to which they responded that I needed to get good grades—which prompted me to asked what grades were. When I was 11, Mr. Shagam found me playing video games in my cousin's room in Lower School and, thinking that I was a freshman girl, banished me to within no fewer than 100 yards from the dorm. And when I was in 8th grade, I stood in as the admission rep at the San Francisco Boarding School Fair when the actual rep was delayed due to injury. I am in the third generation of my family to come to Thacher. Thacher is in my blood both figuratively and probably quite literally through all the bumps, bruises, and scrapes I've gotten here over the years.

 

Walking onto this campus as a freshman was like a dream come true, I finally was where I belonged. All those words I heard growing up like "barranca" and "Outdoor Chapel" were finally my words to say; all those places like the Gymkhana Field and the Dining Hall were finally my places to go. And all the students and adults here, they, they were my people.

 

Four eventful years later, alongside people who are, to this day, some of my closest friends, I graduated from Thacher, or was exiled as we always called it. Even though it wasn't all happiness and sunshine, the place kept me out of trouble and undeniably had a huge impact on my life. Upon leaving, I made a vow to come back and work here when the new theater was built, so I could help perpetuate the great environment that I had experienced, and cultivate the desire to do art and theatre among the community here.

 

Now, five years later, after spending almost one-third of my life here, I find myself leaving my beloved Thacher again, hoping that I have actually made something of a difference to the community, and truly thankful that I got to know so many of you. All those mys of my younger years have long since become ours as I've come to share them with all of you, and all too soon they'll just be yours. Use them well, protect them, pass them on, and never forget them.

 

I care very deeply for this school, and will miss it dearly, but I leave knowing that you, as Thacher students, have the ability to continue making Thacher a great place. To perhaps help you along the way, I would like to impart the following wisdom that I've learned here over the years.

 

1. I know you hear it all the time, but the sunsets in Ojai really truly are some of the most beautiful in the world, seriously. Every so often find the time to stop and savor them.

 

2. Stay friends, or at least acquaintances, with your classmates and your schoolmates; you never know who you will cross paths with again later in life, or whether that kid you disliked while here is now one of your closest friends. It happened to me.

 

3. Don't be afraid to try out for a play or a musical, join that random activity that needs volunteers, play in the ping-pong tournament, perform at a Coffee House—It’ll be a fun experience even if you do it only once.

 

4. This one Mr. Robinson might not appreciate, but . . . if you feel passionately about some academic topic, get some other people who are interested and propose an independent study. Some of the most interesting classes have come out of those.

 

5. Don't be afraid to dress up for a dance or an event. I promise that you will still be cool tomorrow, even if you're wearing spandex tonight.

 

6. Make friends with your teachers. They're great resources and often have really interesting stories to tell. Weekend brunches are great times to do this.

 

7. Keep track of where your belongings are. That might sounds like a given, but it seems to be pretty hard for some of you.

 

8. Explore the library. You'd be amazed what kind of things you can find. Extra points if you can find Jack Huyler's old records: they've been missing for awhile now.

 

9. Take weekend camping trips. They'll leave you with some pretty great memories, even if they're of the sight of your jeans frozen into shapes by an overnight snow.

 

10. Don't just sit by and let things happen to you. If something has changed for the good, like the Sunday snack time in the dining hall, tell someone! Or if something is happening that you don't think is a good direction for the school, give feedback about that, too! If you have an idea about how the campus can function better, propose it!

11. Come back to reunions. Even if your life if hectic, it's really worth it.

 

12. Don't be in a hurry to grow up, or fit in. If you must emulate a TV show, lean towards Glee, not Gossip Girl. I promise you, all those experiences some of you might be anxious to have, they can wait until college. Seriously.

 

Oh yeah, and join the Tech Crew, because they're awesome, and because if next year is anything like this year, they'll have over 117 lectures, concerts, dances, and performances to set-up, so they'll always be looking for help!

 

It is in your power to make this school what you want it to be. I recognize how absolutely cheesy that sounds, but I mean it. For a number of reasons, Thacher will be a different place next year, but it's in your power—the students’—to make sure the spirit of the school stays the same. Though the campus is a different place now than it was when I was a student (you can watch TV online and don't have to share one phone per dorm, for instance), the vibe of the campus is much the same. That vibe is what makes Thacher Thacher and it sticks with you forever. As you all grow up and graduate, you'll find that years down the line when you get together with other Thacher people, this strange energy is created and this instant bond is formed or reformed. Outsiders will notice it and will envy it. Be proud of it, it's part of what makes you a Thacher student.

 

And know that Thacher really is unlike any other school, even if you can't always put your finger on why.

 

Finally, I will leave you with a quotation by one of my classmates—Benjamin Wallace CdeP 1999: "Kindness fosters strength, friendship creates stability, and loving life generates the chaos essential to the foundation of all."