Behind the Mixing and Mingling of Social Life

          Lawrenceville is where friendships are formed, memories are forged, and laughter echoes. At the heart of  school life there is Grace Chu ’24, a dedicated and dynamic person who plays the role of Vice President of Social Life. Tasked with shaping this year's social events, Chu’s unceasing enthusiasm and affection for the Student Body proposed a calendar full of exciting events. In a conversation with Chu, she outlined her plans, described her aspirations, and reflected on recent social events which will undoubtedly leave an unforgettable mark on our school life.

          The recent two events, the Fire Dance and Glow in the Dark Night, successfully kicked off the start of this year’s social life events. Chu admitted she was “nervous about whether they would be well received by the students,” but soon after, Chu and the Student Council were “ecstatic” with a huge turnout at both events. Bolstering the events’ success were the swift volunteer organizing , fun event decorations, and the creative themes (a fire themed dance and a glow in the dark theme with the new sport courts). Chu also did not forget to shout-out to her partners from the Student and Social Councils, who made the work “much easier to get everything planned out.” Due to the overflow of pickleball sign ups, Chu found that a flaw with the event was their over-acceptance of teams, as the large crowds were difficult to manage. 

          Regarding the general process of organizing school-wide events, Chu shared some of her major steps for planning. The very first step is getting her rough ideas approved by Ian August, the Director of Student Life. From there, Chu brainstorms the details with insights from both the Student Council and the Social Council. Once the major outline is finished, Chu promotes the event through School Meeting or @Lville_studentlife on Instagram. Chu aims to utilize the new Social Council as a “form of feedback as it is a very diverse group with people from all four forms,” who can give insights for future events. Keep in mind that any Lawrentians can also leave helpful comments through a feedback form.

          Looking forward, Chu hopes students “continue to come check out the events and enjoy a time away from academic work to just have some fun.” With a sneak peek from the Social Representative, students can expect the Griswold House’s all-School night event on Saturday, September 23, and a debut for the new “House-Hopping” event that Chu invented. The event will allow all houses to get involved and give everyone a sneak-peek into fun activities and serve delicious food hosted by the Houses.

          Chu emphasized that the success of recent events was due to the active participation of students, and thanked members of the school community for their support. Chu looks forward to a lively year filled with more laughter, friendship, fun, and unforgettable memories. “Social events are a great way to get away from a stressful academic environment so pop out for a good time!”