Lain Biles '24
As the fall has come to an end and the winter trimester is in full swing, dorms are busier than ever in preparation for the upcoming break. Oftentimes, the stress of living in a shared space during a busy time of year can seem insurmountable, but these chaotic weeks can also produce some of the best memories of the year. Living together, as a community, is a truly unique experience that few get to enjoy before leaving home for college.
At Cate, dorms provide various opportunities to interact with new people, and continue friendships from the past. Says Caroline Keohane ‘24, “Dorms at Cate are very homey… like a little family. I love how you can always hear laughter in the hallways, and there is a joyful atmosphere throughout the dorm.” Given that one spends a substantial amount of their day in their dorm, it is nice to hear that these environments bring happiness and peace to what can be a very hectic day as a Cate student. Caroline continues, “My favorite thing about CHE [Cook House East] is how quiet and secluded it is, because junior year requires a lot of time spent studying and working hard. When I come back to my room, it feels like coming home, and I get a really nice break from all of my classes.” Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is difficult for most people, but especially when residents live where they work. Being able to separate from the stress of the academic day when in the dorm is a good sign that dorms at Cate are happy and restful places.
Day students have a unique experience at Cate, given that they do not return to their dorms but instead to the comfort of their homes. However, this comes with its own challenges. Simran Sharma ‘24 says, “I think Cate has good intentions to make day students feel like they are part of the community but sometimes they don’t succeed. An example would be them building the new day student room in the old gym. While it is obviously a wonderful space with incredible appliances, there is little space for storage of sports and convocation bags, something that is a part of every day student’s life. While it is clear they cater to boarders needs more (which is understandable since it is a mostly boarding school) I think they are on an upward trajectory when it comes to fully integrating day students into the community.”
According to Day Student Coordinator Ms. Kate Parker, Cate has enrolled 66 day students this year. Given this high number, it is very important that day students feel comfortable in the community, and that they have access to the same quality of facilities as boarding students. Additionally, the schedule can be difficult to navigate for many day students, as Chau Anh Vu ‘23 says, “It can feel like the school only cares about boarding students. For example, convocation happens late in the day, which can be difficult for day students to navigate, and plan for going home later.” With this being said, there are also many positive aspects of being a day student, especially as an upperclassman. Gigi Geyer ‘23 says, “Throughout my three and a half years at Cate, an integral part of the day student experience has been learning the art of balance. As I have lived in Santa Barbara for 16 years, I wanted to keep a close connection with the town and the relationships that I made there, but I also had to realize that I was entering a new part of my life at Cate. Becoming a part of the “Cate experience” as a day student is a hard feat and requires some sacrifices, yet, nonetheless, turns out to be extremely rewarding. Once you discover the perfect balance (and get your license) you are able to have complete agency over the time you spend on campus versus at home— a really special gift that has taught me the value of independence.” So, while it is clear that there are improvements that could be made to cater to the needs of all students, but especially day students, it is also clear that we attend a really special school, and we have a lot to be thankful for!
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