Seniors gather for Incendium, a mug night in which students burn their college rejection letters.
As seniors finalize their college plans, senior spring traditions encourage students to end their time at Choate and think about their exciting futures ahead.
Incendium
Founded approximately ten years ago by Mr. James Yanelli, Director of Student Activities, this tradition of burning rejection letters on the SAC patio started when Mr. Yanelli conversed with prefects who lamented the fact that they had “all this negative information.” Back then, some of the seniors would post the letters on their doors, while others would tear them up and throw them away. Mr. Yanelli thought, “Why don’t we just go ahead and burn them? So I said that seniors should go up to the SAC patio, bring all the negative news from colleges, and burn it.” The letter-burning was always combined with a mug night to give seniors a chance to socialize and focus on all the positive news they have received. Mr. Yanelli explained, “The tradition was created so that seniors can collectively get over the college application process and think about college itself.” Regarding student impressions of the event, Mr. Yanelli stated, “It’s always really well attended. ‘Cathartic’ was a word that was often used. It allows seniors to put disappointment behind them and think about the rest of the spring instead of what they didn’t like over the winter.” This year’s Incendium was postponed from Thursday, April 6 to Sunday, April 9 because of rain.
Mr. D’s Rejection Letter Cupcakes
Another tradition aimed towards getting seniors to put their college rejections behind them is Mr. D’s rejection letter cupcakes (tradition named by the writer of this article). Students can go to the Wallingford candy store with a rejection letter, put it into the rejection letter box, and get a complimentary cupcake. According to shop owners Mr. and Mrs. D, the tradition began because of two reasons: “One reason was because our Choate customers come to Mr. D’s, and we want to give back the students. The second reason is because getting a rejection letter isn’t something that makes you happy. We wanted to put a smile back on people’s faces.” Although both Mr. and Mrs. D did not have any out of the ordinary stories to tell about the tradition, they did note one interesting behavior shared by many Choate students. “When a Choate student gets a rejection letter,” said Mrs. D, “they have a certain way of putting their rejection letter into the rejection letter box. They don’t slide it in; they thrust it in. It’s a cathartic event, especially when the college is one that the student really wanted to get into. It’s kind of like a book burning.”
Senior Bingo
Contrasted with the two previous traditions, Senior Bingo has nothing to do with college. Instead, it is a night of high energy fun in the dining hall. Taking place on Thursday, May 4, the event will signal a time of casual entertainment for many among the senior class. According to Mr. Yanelli, “Teachers call numbers, and seniors win a wide variety of prizes ranging from clothing and other items from the school store to Thursday D passes.” Regarding the detention passes, Mr. Yanelli paused. “I know that we’re asking for trouble,” he said with a smirk.
Alumni Transition Dinner
This tradition marks seniors’ transition from students to alumni. The dinner, which takes place in the middle of spring term, is one of the last formal gathering events for seniors, featuring a speech and slideshow presentation on the impact of becoming a Choate alumnus. Each senior is granted a vest from the Choate Rosemary Hall Alumni Association, marking the shift from being a Choate student to becoming a burgeoning young adult in style.
Senior Class Trip
The end of senior year is celebrated with the Senior Class Trip, a one-day outing that allows seniors to get off of campus and enjoy a fun-filled day of bonding and free time. According to Mr. Yanelli, this tradition, which started about 20 years ago, is a nice way to end the academic year for seniors and is purposely meant to be “something close and unstructured so that seniors can get off campus and enjoy each other’s company.” Recent locations include Hammonasset Beach, Rocky Neck Beach, and Quassy Amusement Park.
Last Hurrah
Beginning with four nights of senior ballroom dancing lessons taught by Ms. Foster before the actual event in May, Last Hurrah — a formal social event for the entire senior class which features a professional orchestra — is perhaps the most well-known senior tradition. According to Mr. Yanelli, it has evolved considerably since he arrived at Choate in the early 1980s, when Last Hurrah was still hosted by parents. The much-anticipated event begins with a dinner, continues on to dancing and a dance competition, and finally, ends with an after party which lasts until one in the morning. According to Mr. Yanelli, “Unlike in many schools, Last Hurrah isn’t just a date night. Instead, as the name suggests, it’s a celebration of the entire senior class.”
