Red Saturdays: Rest, Relaxation & Recreation

6 January 2014Joanna L

Ah. Red Saturday. Just the sound of the words sparks the thought of a relaxing two days of quiet and calm, a chance to relax without the pressure of school, sports or arts commitments. In the words of the world outside of Brentwood – a normal weekend. Brentwood is unique for a number of reasons – international prominence in a number of fields, great people, a beautiful campus, but more basically, we are unique because, unlike the rest of the world, where a weekend means two full days of rest and recreation, we have school on Saturday mornings. With a boarding population of 360 students and a full seven-day-a-week program of academics, athletics, and arts, on a regular weekend, students would, after Number One inspection in the morning, go to three classes, and then sport in the afternoon. But Red Saturdays are not ordinary weekends. On Red Saturdays, Brentwood gets a much-welcomed taste of what it is like for the rest of the world to not have to get out of bed before eight. The mystery of why they are known as ‘Red’ Saturdays is lost in decades of Brentwood history. Perhaps it is because of the colour they are highlighted with on the calendar by Brentwood students anticipating a welcome break? The official reason for Red Saturdays, at least in First Term, is the presence of Parent Student Teacher Conferences, as Brentwood is visited by parents to catch up on how their children are progressing away from home. The teachers don’t get quite so much of a break – they spend their Saturday morning meeting with students and their parents. Red Saturday’s give students a valuable opportunity to go home, catch-up on schoolwork and sleep, or socialize with friends. Many choose to go home, or to a friend’s house, to enjoy a few days away from the Brentwood campus and a chance to see family and friends. International students are often invited to the homes of day students to give them an opportunity to have a little taste of a homey environment. For those who choose to stay, Red Saturdays provide a valuable opportunity to catch on much needed sleep that alas, for the growing teenager, one day just won’t fulfill. After that there’s welcome relaxation – a trip to the gym, if it’s a nice day, hanging out on the fields in the fall sun, socializing with friends or staying in the house to finish homework. With exams approaching, many students spent the last Red Saturday reviewing notes for next week’s busy study. For Alex House, is also meant decorating the house for the Christmas season. Christmas carols and laughter rang through the halls as the girls put up the decorations and partook in a bit of Christmas cheer. As the last Red Saturday of this term has passed, we can now look forward to third term when weekends will, once again, be weekends. Joanna L, Alex ‘14

Where Students Choose To Be