A dorm is likely to be different from anything a new student has ever experienced. At first, the dorm consists of a number of individuals, each with his or her own hopes and concerns for the year. But, just a few weeks into the semester, an amazing thing happens. It might begin at a pool party or on a movie night, in the Campus Center after study hall or over breakfast in the dining room. This group of individuals becomes a community, and each supports the others’ hopes and concerns. Soon lifelong friendships are formed, as students live and learn together for nine months of the year. The dorm becomes literally the students’ “home away from home.” Most students share their living areas with roommates, though a few single rooms are available. The Office of Student Affairs assigns roommates for all new students, while each spring, returning students choose their own roommates for the coming year. The Housemaster and other dormitory faculty play a unique role in residential life. They help create a community and ensure that students adapt to dorm life and school. They make sure that the dorm offers an atmosphere conducive to study, and at other times, a social liveliness that builds dorm spirit. Holiday parties, movie trips and the frequent sharing of pizza, doughnuts or other snacks are all part of the dormitory experience at Blair. Each dormitory, including senior dorms, has monitored evening study hours from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Students who have not earned study privileges (called “honor nights”) must be in their rooms, the library, computer labs or receiving tutoring from an individual faculty member during these hours. Most importantly, faculty do not disappear into their apartments at the end of the school day. They are present on corridors and in common rooms, providing students with the supervision, help and encouragement they need to succeed.

Weekend Activities
Weekends might be a little less structured than weekdays, but that doesn’t mean students are any less active! The campus bustles with activity. Every Saturday evening, there is a community-focused event – dances, casino night, sporting events, student theater productions, and the like. In addition, the Residential Life Office always sponsors various forms of local off-campus trips (movie/mall trips) as well as other low-key entertainment events (B.I.G. events, etc) throughout the weekend.

Some examples of Campus Weekend Activities:       

      • Welcome Back Dance
      • Beach Volleyball Classic
      • Improv Comedy Groups
      • Super Sunday
      • The Fall Ball
      • Sumo Wrestling
      • Blairstock
      • International Bazaar
      • The Sadie Hawkins Dance
      • Casino Night
      • Valentine’s Day Dance
      • A Cappella Groups
      • Capture the Flag
      • X-Box Tournament
      • Family Fun Day

Most students stay on campus on weekends, but students can take advantage of Blair’s proximity to urban culture and outdoor recreation by going on an off-campus trip. Nearby New York City and Philadelphia are great places for school-sponsored trips to see a Broadway musical, visit a museum or attend a concert. The Delaware Water Gap and the Pocono Mountains are practically in Blair’s backyard, and many students like to explore those areas through hiking, biking, kayaking and other activities. As always, faculty teams accompany student groups to ensure their fun and safety.

B.I.G. – Blair Intramural Games
Blair Intramural Games is a yearlong, student-run intramural society. Every weekend, students have the opportunity to win B.I.G. points for their dorm through inter-dorm competitions. Examples of B.I.G. competitions include 3 on 3 basketball, Dorm Grade Averages, Chess, Lip Sync, Dodge Ball, and Casino Night. B.I.G. allows dormitories to rally together to compete for a common goal – The B.I.G. Championship!

Headmasters’ Societies Competition
During the third week of February after most winter sports have concluded, the Residential Life Office sponsor a series of campus-wide events to keep a majority of students engaged in the afternoon and to boost the morale of the student body. Much like Harry Potter’s Hogwarts, Blair splits the entire school community into four teams – Sharpe, Breed, Howard and Kelley – and sponsors a weeklong spirited competition with a number of intramural type activities.

Student leaders organize the events of the week, and students and teachers compete on a variety of levels. Contests in basketball, swimming, chess, wrestling, squash, backgammon, European handball and the like are scheduled in the afternoon throughout the week. Athletes who participate on varsity level winter teams are not allowed to play their sport of expertise. Points for the winning teams are tabulated and posted every evening.

On the last day of competition, the Headmasters’ Societies Competition culminates with a school-wide Talent Show. At the end of this event, the Headmaster declares the winning team.

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