Dear Reader,
Turkey Term, despite its new unofficial name, is a two-week period filled with many traditions ranging from Semi to the annual Christmas dinner that second waiters dread without fail. Fitting with this theme of holiday spirit, at the December 6 School Meeting, professor and designer of Harvard’s most popular course, Positive Psychology, Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar, invited Deerfield students to reflect on all the many things for which we are truly thankful.
In line with the tenet that expressing gratitude increases our happiness, Professor Ben-Shahar encouraged writing letters to people in our lives and then, rather than stopping there, actually reading the letters aloud to strengthen our relationships with those people. Additionally, a practice that some on campus may have already adopted is keeping a gratitude journal to document moments that we’re either thankful for or that reveal progress in our lives. Doing so serves as an effective means of exercising mindfulness.
One item from Professor Ben-Shahar’s talk that caused some students to pause was his idea of prioritizing reflection and growth from traumatic experiences. He described how not many people write about post-traumatic growth. In moments of hardship, it may be difficult to recognize that there are opportunities to grow and learn instead of dwelling on the negative aspects of the event itself. Deerfield students left with the reminder that we can heal from trauma and grow from our life experiences, particularly as we benefit from this special community and place that supports us in doing so. For anyone who struggles with this, Deerfield’s counseling staff is readily available to meet with students for confidential counseling sessions during Turkey Term and beyond. Please be sure to check out Owen He ’26’s article on the various mental health supports offered on campus.
After School Meeting, I was pleasantly surprised later that day to see that my math teacher’s advisee came into the classroom specifically to express his thankfulness for her. While it may be an easy time to give thanks as we approach the holidays, continuing such practices as we approach the long winter term can be more challenging. In the midst of this, perhaps we can find extra time to support those around us as a token of our gratitude. Through ways as simple as spending an extra hour helping someone at peer tutoring, reviewing a friend’s frantically written college essay, or going for a run with the friend whose sport is in the offseason, we can find ways to express our gratitude in practical ways. As we approach the winter term, I want to express my thankfulness for our community and my commitment to making my final two terms at Deerfield one that is marked by gratitude for the incredible people who make this place so special.
With gratitude, Kaitlyn Xia