For New Girls: Foxcroft Hacks from the Class of 2022

What's your best hack for living in dorms?
Be friendly, and be mindful that there might be others who are still studying or doing their homework while you are watching tv shows or playing games. This will help you to give others a better impression. - Xinyi S.

Always have snacks in your dorm! - Elaine P.

Bring minimal food because it can be a pain if you store it in the main dorm fridge. You really just need non-perishables that you could keep in your closet for a quick snack before sports! Also, do not use Tide pods. They don’t work well when you’re doing a cold wash which you will probably do a lot. - Clare T.

Communicate! No one can read your mind or know exactly how you feel. - Lilly R.

Be very conscious of how much alone time you need because you are living in a dorm with 30 other girls. It’s difficult to get alone time unless you deliberately take time for yourself. - Nia D. 

What’s your best study hack?
Be organized!!! And put everything aside when studying! Sometimes you might be distracted by a simple notification and lose all of your time! And if you have any questions, ask the teacher directly face-to-face or by sending an email! You will be surprised by how helpful everyone is and that you do not need to solve a complicated problem on your own. - Xinyi S.

Team up with friends to study - Elaine P.

Highlighters and colored pens have taken over my pencil case because when your teacher is lecturing quickly, you don’t have time to organize properly, so underlining and highlighting names and dates is a lifesaver when you’re reviewing or need to fact check. - Clare T. 

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Use study hall! But plan out what you are going to do during study hall, as you may not have enough time to complete everything - Lilly R. 

Put your phone away or give it to the dorm parent. - Nia D.

What’s your best hack to make new friends?
Be friendly and do the things you like! You don’t have to change yourself to be the popular girl! If you like a specific sport, then I’m sure you will make a lot of great quality friends in games. And if you just like arts or academics, there are always people like you! If you are into one thing and you are a master in it, starting a club will also be a great choice for you to meet others like you. - Xinyi S.

Become close with your dorm mates. - Elaine P.

Foxcroft girls really value kindness. Being kind is what draws people to you and being mean will get you nowhere. Freshman fall is a whirlwind and everyone ends up in a group that will probably change over the next months and year. Your group is not definite if you don’t think you fit in and you will eventually find your people. - Clare T.

Everyone is nervous and wants to make friends, just start talking!! - Lilly R. 

You have a roommate, talk to them! - Nia D.

What’s your best hack to passing all of your classes?
Always ask for extra help when needed and don’t be afraid to go to tutorials. - Elaine P.

Be thoughtful when choosing your classes. There are several things you need to consider: if you are able to handle the work for all the classes together, if these are the things you are interested in (sometimes your interest helps you to keep moving on in hard times) and don’t forget you are still going to have a life outside of just studying! So carefully choosing your class will be my best advice. Talking with a student about the course material and the teacher will be helpful as well! - Xinyi S.

I’m the kind of person to speak a lot in class which is helpful for me, but I don’t think you have to be talkative to do well. As long as you keep good relationships with your teachers, you can always find the best path for you. Reaching out if you need help or an extension could bring so much relief if you need it, and all you have to do is trust your teacher and ask. And your advisor is here to help you if you are struggling academically! That’s their job as an advisor and they know what they are doing. - Clare T. 

Go to tutorials and ask questions. - Lilly R. 

Talk to your teachers, know your study habits, don’t be afraid to ask for help. - Nia D. 

What’s your best hack to getting involved on campus?
Join clubs, get interested in Fox/Hound traditions, and go to the lounge instead of staying in your room and watching Netflix. - Nia D.

Go to events! Go to the random little events that students host. - Lilly R. 

Sign up for clubs! - Elaine P. 

Fox/Hound is a huge event on campus and definitely a highlight. It’s very unifying and I think it’s a great way to have fun with girls in other grades. I used to have extreme anxiety that interferes with life and events. When I finally started to get the care that I needed for different things, I was able to go from not really involved at all to very involved starting halfway through junior year. So don’t worry if you aren’t getting into everything but want to, you will. And get the care that you need! - Clare T. 

What’s your best hack to selecting and playing a sport?
Know your strengths, but don’t be afraid to try a new sport that interests you! - Nia D.

You can try different things if you are not sure which you want to pick, but if you know what your goals are, then go for it! You can talk with your coaches and practice your skills with their help. It is more efficient. - Xinyi S.

I have a poor relationship with exercise. I first tried sports that I knew, but eventually faded out and started walking, which for me was self-care. I’m able to do workouts when I’m feeling motivated or just walk on my bad days. I think that everyone should try a couple of sports, but if it’s REALLY not your thing then once you’ve tried, moving on and not putting too much pressure on yourself. - Clare T. 

If you are new and you have played a sport/are familiar with it from your past and it is offered at Foxcroft, then go for it and try out! No one will judge you, but it might make you feel more comfortable if you play a sport that you are familiar with. - Rory D.

If you have experience in Fox/Hound sports (field hockey, basketball, riding), those are always good options. Otherwise, pick what sounds the most fun because sports are a part of almost every weekday. - Caroline M.

What's your best hack to joining the riding program?
The horses and instructors are great — just ask questions. - Lilly R. 

What's your best hack to getting to know people on campus?
Actually, you don’t need to worry about this. If you have something or anything you like, reach out to people like your friends, upperclassmen, teachers, and so on. You are going to meet great people here. - Xinyi S. 

Sports automatically get you a group of people who you hang out with at practice and can help you get to know more upperclassmen. And clubs!! Joining clubs is fun and relaxed and will introduce you to a lot of people. - Clare T. 

Say hello! Ask about people's day, everyone is friendly. - Lilly R.

Talk to your Old Girl and talk to other people in clubs. - Caroline M. 

Again, go out to social events and join sports and clubs! You need to force yourself to go out so you can meet new people! - Rory D. 

What's your best hack to stepping out of your shell?
Self-care. Ask for help when you need it. We have amazing nurses and a counselor who wants to help you. Your advisors and parents have your best interest at heart. You don’t have to do anything alone. - Clare T.

It is hard, but believe in yourself and always remember why you are doing what you are doing. - Xinyi S. 

Take baby steps — Rome wasn’t built in a day. Take smaller steps outside your comfort zone to build confidence, and then when you feel more confident you’ll be more likely to step out of your comfort zone again and again. - Nia D. 

Even if your friends aren’t interested in the same clubs as you, go to those meetings anyway! - Caroline M.

Keep in the back of your mind that you are not the only New Girl! There are over 20 girls who feel the exact same way as you currently do and are having the same thoughts. Also, remember everyone who is at Foxcroft was also a New Girl at some point. We had the same thoughts and feelings you might currently have. As such, we are all mature enough to see when someone might need some guidance and will be more than happy to give a helping hand : ) - Rory D. 

Everyone wants to help — you are never alone. - Lilly R. 

Remember to bring your own food (of course in a closed bin to store it in)! But I found that having food that I would normally eat at home would really help me, especially when I was nervous and didn't have much of an appetite. - Rory D.

Definitely stick to the dress code if you want to stay on the good side of your teachers. We also have really great books in the library that everyone should definitely take advantage of! - Clare T.

You are a part of a community, you are never alone. - Lilly R.

 

We hope you enjoyed these hacks from our seniors! If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Student Life, studentlife@foxcroft.org.  See you next week!