I have been told by innumerable TCS alumni, both young and old, that their TCS friends are their best friends. I am sure that our school is not unique in this regard. But it appears to me that TCS friendships have an added depth.

Why is this the case?

There is no secret what factors contribute to lifelong friendships…a foundation of trust, honesty, shared experiences seem to top the list. Personally, I believe that the deepest bond is formed when people go through the inevitable ups and downs of adolescence together. And, there can be a lot of ups and downs over the course of an adolescent life at TCS.

I find the most interesting feature of the teenage years is the simultaneous, three-fold of competing interests. One, the desire for independence: “You’re not the boss of me!” Two, the search for individuality: “I’m not sure what I want to do or be.” And, three, the perceived need for acceptance from peers: “I hope I am invited to the party.” That’s a lot of competing thoughts going through one brain at the same time! An adolescent can’t be blamed for being fully confident, indecisive or worried, depending upon whether they are in the company of family, themselves or friends!

The more active, engaging and immersive the high school experience is among teenagers, then the greater number of occasions there will be for elevated and seemingly conflicting emotions. And, make no mistake, TCS is an active and immersive high school experience! Thus, it is at this time that deeper, historical friendships are formed and solidified. For life.

In summary, the three competing interests experienced by the vast majority of teenagers, have an elevated “training ground” at TCS compared to many other communities. We can check the boxes on:

√ Independence
√ Individuality
√ Acceptance

The weekend of May 26th-28th the School will be hosting our annual Reunion Weekend for alumni. This gathering is a wonderful opportunity for TCS graduates to return to their alma mater and reconnect with former housemates, classmates and friends. We have a record number of alumni attending this year (340!) and we are officially “sold out” for the Saturday night dinner. The weekend will be filled with hugs, laughter and exaggerated stories of the good old days spent together.

I am not surprised.