Sweet, Sweet Saturday Nights

The students finish their meals on the Circle as the sun sets behind the forest. The shouts of Fourth and Fifth Formers playing Ultimate Frisbee radiate to the farthest reaches of the campus. Everyone then darts back to the dorms to get on their proper attire, as hordes of men burst out the door with their vintage basketball jerseys. Each year at Groton, Saturday nights have meant something different to me.

Third Form Saturdays gave me my voice. I loved performing in front of the huddled crowds in Gammons for Open Mic Nights. The honey tones of the music made everyone feel fuzzy and warm. And sitting back just made me feel like I was part of something greater and more beautiful.

Fourth Form gave me a different kind of nightly enjoyment. Instead of vibing the sweet melodies of peers, we were treated to an endless supply of food, video games, and bouncy-house activities. We would also come up with our own forms of fun, playing some 5v5 football in the distant corner of the Pratt Rink. It was then, and only then, when I showed my prowess in route running, as I did not play football.

Fifth Form, a semi-COVID year, was a mix between the two. I loved seeing the return of Open Mic in the past week. Such a range of music! From Britney Spears to Nina Simone, there was something for everyone. I also, in these past few weekends, have indulged into the warm, cheesy crust at the pizza truck, played in a kickball tournament with the ultimate stakes (Chick-Fil-A), and even laid back on the Circle watching a horror-mystery film, Knives Out. There is never a dull night.

I don’t know what Sixth Form Saturdays will bring. They might be wild. They might be loud. They might leave me exhausted the next morning as I slowly open up my eyes and adjust to the light. But the times will certainly be magical, and they will be mine.