Abigail, Upper
“I’ve had the opportunity to sing opera on two occasions so far—at a cluster gathering and then at Coffeehouse. That was amazing.”Abigail is a new upper from Washington, D.C. and an aspiring opera singer. She’s quickly found her place at Andover by embracing her independence and immersing herself in the arts scene. She is starring in the fall theatre production of The Imaginary Invalid, and has taken a leadership role on the Brace Center for Gender Studies student board. Abigail balances her classes and extracurriculars with smart time management and an openness to trying new things. When not performing, taking extra singing lessons, or completing her assignments, she finds time to hang out with friends and experience whatever Andover has to offer. Here’s a look at a typical Monday schedule for Abigail.
Wake Up | 7:45 a.m.
Abigail usually wakes up, gets ready for her day, and grabs breakfast at Paresky Commons prior to her first class, which is a short walk from the dining hall.
Period 1 | 8:30 - 9:10 a.m.
History 300: The United States // Instructor: Tracy Ainsworth
For Uppers and Seniors. The year-long course emphasizes three goals: knowledge of a narrative of American history; the acquisition of skills by daily exercises in reading, note-taking, and writing; and in-depth study of organizing themes.
I love the study of time and learning about what happened in the past. And the course itself is interesting cause it’s discussion-based where you read the material the night before, then in class discuss the different elements and themes of it.
”Period 2 | 9:20 - 10 a.m.
German 100 // Instructor: Ben Duclos
A yearlong elementary course in speaking, reading, writing, listening comprehension, and culture. No previous experience in German or any other world language is needed to enroll in this course. GER100 offers significant daily structure and support in order to facilitate successful language learning.
Conference Period | 10:05 - 10:45 a.m.
Abigail typically spends conference period in her German classroom. It’s a new language for her and a fast-paced curriculum, so she takes advantage of the extra time with her teacher and peers to ask questions, clarify assignments, and practice vocabulary.
Period 3 | 10:50 - 11:30 a.m.
This is a free period for Abigail. Most days you can find her in the Oliver Wendell Holmes Library studying in the Garver Room, also known as silent study. She’ll try to do as much homework as possible during this block so that she can have more flexibility in how she spends her time at night.
Period 4 | 11:40 a.m. - 12:20 p.m.
Another free block for Abigail where she’ll grab lunch at Paresky Commons and meet up with friends to socialize. Her favorite food: made-to-order stir-fry with sweet chili and soy sauce.
Period 5 | 12:30 - 1:10 p.m.
English 301: The Stories of Literature for New Uppers // Instructor: Emma Staffaroni
Tailored to the particular needs of new Uppers, ENG301 conforms in spirit and essence to ENG300, but with more intensive attention to expository writing. Students read poems, plays, short stories, and novels representing diverse historical periods, locations, and identities. In their writing, students practice formal literary analysis in order to gain greater appreciation for the artistic construction of a text and its cultural resonance.
Period 6 | 1:20 - 2 p.m.
Physics 400: College Physics I // Instructor: Tracey Golini
This is the first term of non-calculus physics course, covering classical mechanics in Term 1. Laboratory work is an integral part of the course. The yearlong syllabus for this course provides appropriate preparation for the College Board Subject Test in physics. Completion of a chemistry sequence is not a pre-requisite for enrolling in PHY400A.
Period 7 | 2:10 - 2:50 p.m.
Math 340: Precalculus // Instructor: Dale Hurley
This course focuses on rational, exponential, and logarithmic functions. The TI-84 Plus is used for continued study of non-linear data sets with special attention to sets that grow exponentially and logarithmically. Elementary work with arithmetic and geometric sequences is included.
Athletics | 3 - 4:50 p.m.
Abigail is starring as Toinette in fall production of The Imaginary Invalid. Her theatre commitment counts as her sport, and rehearsals take place during this block after classes. Fun fact: auditions were held on her first day at Andover, and she jumped at the chance to participate. She earned a role, and has found a home within the Theatre department making quick friends with the cast and crew.
5 - 11 p.m.
After her theatre rehearsals Abigail will head to dinner with friends and hang out. Depending on her workload, she may finish up some assignments at the library, or just relax in her dorm with friends. As a member of the Brace Center for Gender Studies board, Abigail also participates in campus conversations, and helps put on events like the recent feminist haunted house as part of Andover’s Abbotween celebration.