Unique Traditions Help Make Athenian A Special Space
If you're new to Athenian, you might have already discovered that this school, filled with tenderness, enthusiasm, wonder, and openness, is unlike any other school community. You are only three months into the 2024-2025 academic school year, though, so you might have not experienced all of the fun that there is here. Hence, here are some memorable traditions that you should not miss during your time at Ahenian.
Run-in
Run-in is one of the most exhilarating traditions. Twice a year, in March and in August, the Athenian community gathers on the Estakhri Sports Field to welcome students back from the Athenian Wilderness Experience (AWE). After more than 25 days of backpacking and surviving in Death Valley deserts or High Sierra mountains, students make a final eight-mile run before returning to civilization and reuniting with people who they miss. It is a time in which the campus is reinvigorated with energy.
Run-in is often an emotional experience. Although running eight miles is strenuous, students persevere as they run, knowing tearful family members and friends are there to celebrate the accomplishment with them. A wave of familiarity washes over them as they start to recognize familiar landmarks like Blackhawk Plaza, which they have visited countless times before but missed endlessly when being in the wilderness.
Run-in is characterized by enthusiastic support. “For my Run-in, what really got me through were the seniors and High Sierra juniors yelling ‘almost there!’ or ‘keep going’ out of their cars while speeding by—even if I’d never spoken to them before,” senior Elena Tran, who went to Death Valley AWE, said. Everyone makes each other’s Run-in unique and special.
Friends and families even show their encouragement and love by drawing chalk on the sidewalk and putting up signs along the last mile of the final stretch. “I did Run-in in March and coming back 26 days later to see all of these people cheering me on makes me feel really loved and welcomed,” senior Gabriela LeyLanguren said. “The posters are great because they start having them with 2 miles left, so it’s that extra boost of motivation.”
Finally, after climbing one last hill, students see Athenian to their right. Running through the gate that only opens only twice a year and running past the toilet paper roll finish line, students are reunited with family members, friends, instructors, faculties, and staff who wait anxiously. The 26-day AWE adventure concludes in a rush of triumph and relief.
“Honestly, it’s hard to describe Run-in. The best way to know it is to experience it, and what an experience it was. It’s definitely one of my favorite Athenian traditions and will be a day I’ll always remember,” Elena said.
Color Competition
Once a semester, the Athenian campus is filled with colors and costumes during Spirit Week, which had its fall version just a few weeks ago. Throughout the week, there are daily dress-up themes. Each student who wears according to the theme can count as a point for their grade class. In the past, “anything but backpack day,” “pajama day,” and “celebrity day” have been some of student’s favorites. Even teachers join in, dressing up to earn points for their advisor's grade level. The school’s spirit spreads.
Beyond the dressing themes, there are other opportunities to collect points. Innovative games are being organized by senior class leaders and teachers, and the winning team can also contribute points for their class. These games are indeed competitive, and you might even find out that one of your classmates is a volleyball expert.
“One of my favorite parts of the week is the huge Kahoot game. Everyone has so much fun and I love the competitive spirit to win points,” junior Vivian Wu said.
After a rivalrous week, the anticipated Color Competition arrives on Friday. Freshmen in green, sophomores in yellow, juniors in blue, and seniors in red, the campus is transformed into a sea of vibrant colors. Seniors, especially, go all out with red cars, dragon dances, and paper roll decorations.
The points are combined with the result of the color competition to determine the winning class — hopefully, it is the seniors.
Senior Cry Day
Since everyone gets close to one another through the bonding Athenian community, saying farewell to seniors often becomes sentimental and bittersweet. As the school year draws to a close, a series of celebrations and events are held to capture these final moments and wish seniors the best of luck in their future endeavors. One such event is the Senior Farewell Meeting, affectionately known as Senior Cry Day.
The entire upper school community gathers during the year's final morning meeting. It is an opportunity for seniors to say goodbye to their peers, for freshmen to say goodbye to their senior buddies, for siblings to say goodbye to their graduating older siblings, and for Athenian faculty or staff parents to speak on behalf of their children.
“It was bittersweet,” Miu Miu Tai ’24 said. “After being an audience member for the past three years, it was finally my year.”
Although the tradition contains the word “cry,” the day is not solely about sadness. At Athenian, students ensure that saying farewell is joyful for the hope of the future. So you might end up hearing the excitement in the Main Hall as a surprise wedding comes to the celebration.
Miu Miu also fondly recalls the show that the faculty gave at the very end of last year’s Senior Farewell Meeting, where faculty and staff gathered to sing and dance to “About Damn Time” unexpectedly.
Senior Cry Day is a celebration of shared memories, heartfelt connections, and the excitement of new beginnings, marking a fantastic way to end the school year and seniors’ high school life.
