A Reflection of the Lawrenceville Experience

As the holiday season begins, a feeling of nostalgia and recollection has dawned on campus. For the V Formers, this marks the start of their many “lasts” at Lawrenceville. Reflecting on their time at the School, four members of the V Form class discuss how the Lawrenceville experience has shaped who they are now. 

Krish Mehta ’24

Kennedy House prefect and Hutchins Science Scholar Krish Mehta ’24 was drawn to Lawrenceville due to its Harkness-style learning. For him, the “biggest appeal” was to “collaborate and learn from [his] peers,” which has proven to be an extremely important practice in his science and mathematics classes. At the start of his III Form year, Mehta did not think he would enjoy study hall. He now believes the nightly study hall routine is “underrated” and “a good opportunity for students to lock in.” Mehta also perceives Lawrenceville as having a “completely different vibe” compared to his experience at his prior school; while hard work is certainly necessary at Lawrenceville, there are also “many fun Saturday nights…hanging out with friends.” He especially enjoys “Kennedy [House] grilled cheese” and, as a prefect, considers “the small parts of living in the House” the “highlight of [his] Lawrenceville experience.” As a V Former, Mehta wants to focus on fostering a vibrant and inclusive house culture for his prefectees—ensuring students feel “like a family.” Mehta would give one message for Underformers as he reflects on his time at Lawrenceville: “Don’t take Honors Chemistry—you’re not the exception.” After his time at Lawrenceville, Mehta feels that he has become “significantly more studious,” and now has “the tools to succeed in life”—perhaps from taking Honors Chemistry!

Nichole Jin ’24

Nichole Jin ’24 is a four-year veteran of Lawrenceville. In addition to serving as the Co-Captain of the Girls’ Varsity Tennis Team and as the Co-News editor of The Lawrence, Jin is also a proud Carter House prefect. When reflecting on her experiences as a II Former, Jin recalls her excitement for the House system and Lawrenceville’s scholar programs that allowed students to get involved with research. Yet she was initially apprehensive about the school’s “academically rigorous environment” and its “interactive Harkness approach.” Fortunately, Jin was pleasantly surprised with the “supportive…and generally friendly atmosphere” of Lawrenceville. With practice, she has also come to appreciate the “engaging Harkness discussions.” Jin feels that being a prefect now helps connect her to underformers in similar shoes as she was in and see the “benefits to the House system,” and “the supportive community that [Lawrentians] are lucky to have.” While the last of her favorite Carter House traditions—the annual Halloween invite-a-friend—has concluded, she recalls fond memories of witnessing the “strong bonds between House members.” From these transformative experiences, Jin feels that “Lawrenceville has played a very important role, if not the most important role, in helping [her] become the person [she is] today.”  

Anabel Guerreiro ’24

An arts enthusiast at heart, Anabel Guerreiro ’24 was drawn to Lawrenceville’s offerings of a “strong community” and the opportunity to “live alongside peers equally as motivated as [she is].” Her experiences as a III and IV Former in the Stephens House have helped her “love Stephens more than anything.” Now a dedicated prefect, she “truly believes Stephens is the place for [her]” and enjoys “every single Saturday night in the House.” Some aspects of boarding school, such as the “prevalence of athletics,” also exceeded her expectations. However, Guerreiro, now Co-Captain of the Girls’ Varsity Softball team, sees participating in sports as one of Lawrenceville’s “biggest personal surprises” and represents a “major change” since her II Form year. Some ambitions have remained since she entered the school: from being “especially involved in music…and science,” Guerreiro leads and participates in countless musical events, including the bi-annual orchestra concerts. Reflecting on her growth from a II Former, she recognizes Lawrenceville as the main catalyst for her “improved confidence.” She hopes that her journey can be a source of inspiration for underformers to “support the arts,” but most importantly, “buy into Lawrenceville” because “you get out what you put in.”

Jane Atkinson ’24

Jane Atkinson’s ’24 journey at Lawrenceville has truly come full circle. Entering as a II Former, Atkinson had “a lot of expectations” for the “academic rigor” and “anticipated being challenged in the classroom.” Fortunately, Lawrenceville delivered: from the “life-changing events” she has experienced, Atkinson feels she is now “much better of a person” than she was as a II Former and now possesses “skills that will help [her] after graduation.” The most prominent change Atkinson went through has taken place on the track: entering Lawrenceville “identifying as a runner,” she now “enjoys so many things more than running.” Now a Dawes House prefect, Atkinson feels that this role serves as a way for her to “create the culture [she] hopes to see at Lawrenceville.” Stemming from her own journey with running, Atkinson hopes to inspire her prefectees and underclassmen peers “not to be afraid of changing their personal image” and accept that, through participating in the “vast array of opportunities on campus, they can “create a new image for themselves.” As Atkinson embarks on her last Winter Term at Lawrenceville, she wants to emphasize to prefectees who are “in the same shoes as [she] was” to “enjoy the process” and “focus on supporting one another and being kind always.”