By Owen Prusek and Emery Williamson 

Photo credit: Emery Williamson.

Rolling out of bed at 7:23 a.m., Jake Slater (’26) starts his day with a shower and breakfast. As a breakfast enthusiast, Slater’s usual is a ham biscuit and orange juice, occasionally with a side of banana bread. This meal prepares him for the day ahead. “Starting the day off on an empty tummy is the worst way to start the day,” he said. 

To alleviate stress, the morning commute for Slater starts around 7:55-8:00 a.m., making sure even with morning traffic, he arrives at school with a plentiful amount of time to greet friends and teachers before starting his academic day. During the drive, Slater enjoys “starting the day with some calm, soothing, feel-good music.” 

Minimizing stress has been a goal of Slater for his Senior year. His morning study hall has allowed him to complete his studies from the previous night. “In my study hall, I either enjoy finishing homework for the day or watching football, accompanied by a snack from Ms. Renee” Lewis at the snack bar in the Sharp Cafe. 

In Slater’s academic classes, as a Senior, he is working on making as many connections as possible with students and teachers around him, making the most of this final year at Collegiate. Staying on top of schoolwork and maintaining grades has been helpful, allowing him to have time to spend with friends, such as going out to dinner and playing sports. So far this year, Jake has found the most enjoyment in his Honors history class, Race, Culture, and Sport, with Upper School history teacher Shep Lewis, claiming, “I skip into class with a smile on my face, ready to learn every day.” 

After school, Slater enjoys going to Adams Performance for a lift, followed by hitting and throwing with varsity baseball teammates. 

To wrap up his day, a shower and dinner with family are a necessity, and sometimes, “If feeling frisky, I enjoy hitting up the steam room to relax my body, preparing me for a good night of sleep.” Trying to get in bed by 11:30 p.m., with lights off by 12, Slater’s day has come to an end.