Big Bros!

20 October 2019Brendan O, Whittall ‘20; Photo by Holly B, Mack '21

Every second Tuesday in Whittall House, after prep, all the boys get together for an event called Big Brothers. Two or three Grade 12 boys are grouped with six or seven younger boys and pizza is purchased for the whole house. It’s an awesome time meant to help bond the senior students with our juniors.

Of course, this event hinges on the quality of prep the week prior, and more than once after the pizza has been purchased, it has been delivered to Alex House, our sister house, because our prep wasn’t quite up to snuff – much to the disappointment of many hungry boys.

In the beginning, Big Bros is also a way for our Grade 12s to check in on younger or newer students and make sure that everyone is both happy and doing well in their new Brentwood setting. Towards the end, it becomes a hilarious time of funny stories, games, jokes, and, sometimes, house-wide sporting events in the gym.

“It’s a great way to share pizza and experiences!” says Bo P, Whittall ‘20. Another Whittall Grade 12, Jack P, says “It’s an opportunity to interact with the juniors in a more personal way than we otherwise could.” Big Bros is an essential way for the Grade 12s to ease the new students from orientation to regular boarding life, and a fantastic opportunity to get to meet students who might otherwise not have much contact with the seniors.

While it is certainly an important event in Whittall, it is not a tradition that happens exclusively in the Great Red house. In all houses, an event similar to Big Bros occurs, albeit with varied names. With its unique ability to rally all of the boys together (something few things can do) it creates an atmosphere of family and connection, which is integral to any students who may be feeling homesick, anxious, or isolated.

Brendan O, Whittall ‘20

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