Anna Lueck

When I first came to Cate, my biggest fear was feeling out of place. Moving to a new place a thousand miles from home wasn't what worried me; it was the prospect of doing so alone, of having to find my footing without anything familiar to help me along. Thankfully, the process was smooth. I was helped along immensely by prefects and teachers and new friends. But, perhaps more importantly, I was forced to try new things from the very beginning. And while trying these new activities often put me outside my comfort zone, they actually ended up helping me find my footing. Coming to Cate, for me at least, was all about expanding my horizons and trying new things. Academically, I signed up for tougher classes; athletically, I tried out sports I'd never played before. And while not all of these pursuits worked out--I'm still completely hopeless at surfing--simply trying them out allowed me to discover activities and courses I would never have thought to pursue. Now, after spending two years at Cate, I'm starting to be able to narrow my focus into areas I've discovered I'm interested in. I spend most of my sports seasons in the pool, playing water polo and swimming. I write for the school newspaper. When I have time, I go on weekend outdoors excursions. I do what I love, not necessarily what everyone else is doing. I'm finding my niche in the community, and finding my niche is what makes me feel at home at Cate.

That's what I love about this school. There is a niche for everyone. Even with a student body of less than 300, you can almost always find someone who shares your interests. There are clubs and groups for everything from improv to writing to Harry Potter. And if you can't find an official club for what you love, you're almost guaranteed to find another person in the community who shares that passion. I've made some of my best friends here simply by learning we shared interests. The Cate community is a varied and vibrant one, and that makes living here wonderful.