The academic challenge is an important part of your experience— but only a part. British schools offer a full range of extracurricular activities, many of which are new to Americans. More importantly, you can take part in sports, or drama, or music, or almost any activity you can imagine without the competitive pressure often present at American schools. Sports teams, for example, exist on several levels; usually four or five dramatic productions are presented each term. Everyone gets a chance. It does not matter how well you play, as long as you are willing to try.

Even if you have never played rugby before, now is the chance. See if you can learn the rules of cricket. (Good luck!) If you wrestle, however, or play boys' lacrosse or ice hockey, you will have to find a new passion, since these are not offered in England. Try boys' field hockey, or rowing, or shooting.

Although many activities involve team work, others are individual. Wander down to the woodworking shop and build a model; go to the studio and paint; walk across fields to nearby villages; fish in the local stream; just lie under a tree and think how lucky you are compared to your unadventurous peers back home.