Debate is done in a parliamentary format, with two teams of two going head to head against each other. There is no research required (although a knowledge of current events doesn’t hurt), as topics are given on the spot, and the teams only have ten minutes to prepare their speeches. So debate is accessible to anyone, even those with lots of other extracurriculars. The speeches themselves are eight minutes long, with one speaker giving a five minute and a three minute speech. The speeches normally consist of both presenting your side’s arguments and refuting those of the opponent. Each year there are about six tournaments, with novice and advanced divisions, and you and your partner go to typically two or three of them.

Debate is certainly not for everyone. That doesn’t mean, however, that it’s not for you. Anyone who considers themselves a capable public speaker should do well. The time commitment is minimal–just weekly meetings and practices. Tournaments, although they take a whole day, are not mandatory. Debate is certainly open to those who just want to practice their public speaking. So, if you do happen to come to Milton, keep an open mind. Give debate a shot. I decided to take the chance, and I have loved it ever since.

Dance Concert embodies the Milton experience for me.  At many schools, it is rare that the plays and concerts have audience numbers equal to or surpassing football and soccer games. For the Milton Academy Dance Concert, tickets sell out within minutes of going on sale. People line up hours ahead of the doors opening for good seats, and students and faculty bring flowers and make signs for students. Dance Concert is a pride-filled part of Milton Academy, from the faculty members in charge, to student choreographers and dancers, to the students who manage to find seats for all three nights–support is found in surplus here.

The swim and dive team is a close group of about 40 students who love being active and in the pool. Although we often complain about jumping into the cold water or practicing until dinner time, these conversations bring us closer.  We love our teammates, coaches and the team as a collective.

Everyone, whether you are a swimmer or diver, is very supportive, spirited and encouraging. Because swim and dive is a team sport as much as it is an individual sport, we always pride ourselves in calling ourselves a team and push each other to become better. Even though we are a coed-team and from different grades, we consider one another as not only teammates but also close friends. We have some fun annual traditions, such as Secret Snowflake, water polo and team dinner, which allow us to take a break from the hard practices and purely enjoy being a part of the team. Having been on the team for two years now, I can confidently say that even if you may not love the sport, you will grow to love the team.

At Milton, doing a sport is a great way to keep in shape, get involved in the community, and make new friends all at once. You will definitely form close bonds with your teammates through practices, bus rides, and meets/games. The swim and dive team, in particular, has given me the unique experience of being part of a truly caring team.

One of the most prominent hubs for homework is Cox Library. The first floor is a calm, quiet place to work independently, and the wall of windows provides both light and people watching while you work. Interestingly, most of the tables on the first floor seat four or two people, so if you and a friend both want to do work at the same time but separately, the quiet of the first floor is a good choice. If you need even more silence, the Academic Skills Center in the bottom of the library has silent study rooms where talking isn’t even allowed. You can often find students taking make-up tests or laser focused on proofreading an essay in the Skills Center.

The library houses collaborative work spaces as well. The Skills Center is also the hub of the Peer Tutor program, so on the cushy couches and tables outside the quiet rooms, you will see an older student helping a freshman through their physics homework. On the second and third floors of the library, you can always find groups of students with textbooks and papers spread out studying for a Biology test together or working through math problems. These floors are always buzzing with chatter (and often laughter) as students bounce ideas off of each other and argue over answers. Many people love the fact that they can work with their friends on these floors, so getting stuck just means turning to your friend and asking how they approached the problem. So much of Milton’s schoolwork is focused on collaboration, and these spaces allow students to continue this teamwork outside the classroom.

Though the library is the most obvious study spot, many students gravitate towards different places for different reasons. Some prefer the peaceful table next to the window in the fourth floor of Ware for its view of the campus and quiet buzz of classrooms surrounding the central space. Others are more partial to the glass-walled computer labs that overlook the Student Center; these labs have desktop computers open for use and are often used by English and history classes for writing work periods. The benches outside King Theater in the Kellner Performing Arts Center are fantastic study spaces for those who like to hear classical, jazz or tuning instruments while working. Each student has their own preference for quiet or loud, crowded or solitary, bright or secluded when it comes to where to work, but at Milton, there are so many options to choose from that it is easy to find what works for you no matter your study style or assignment.