At Friends Select, each grade of the Upper School has followed the tradition of claiming their own school hallway. Every year, students of each grade get their lockers placed together in the same hallway and are distinctly separated throughout the Upper School. Each hallway has its own staple features that make them unique.

When walking up the stairs from Race Street Circle, the 9th-grade hallway immediately greets you on the left. With very few benches and a crowded walkway, some of the freshmen class seem to not like their hallway very much. Sage Matunda ‘25 is one of the many freshmen that does not like his hallway. He says, “all you can do is sit on the floor”. Lucas Kim ‘22 reminisced on his times as a freshman, saying, “the freshman hallway was entertaining, but it was very annoying with all of the people walking through.”

To the right of the Race Street Circle stairs, you will find the 10th-grade hallway. Even though it is the smallest hallway, it might be the mightiest. Patrick Ryan ‘24 has strong opinions on his hallway, stating clearly, “our hallway is the best”. Ryan and his friends went on to say that the isolation and narrowness of their hallway make their grade feel more communal, and the proximity to Malik adds an extra factor of entertainment. 

One of the most recognizable hallways in the Upper School is the junior hallway. With the alcove being the staple feature of the hallway, juniors get a similar feeling of community that they had in the 10th-grade hallway. Lita Porter ‘23 says that it feels “less hallway-like because of [the alcove], and more of a common area to hang out.”

When reaching the pinnacle of Friends Select, seniors are greeted with the most spacious Upper School hallway. While some seniors would say that the amount of space makes students feel less intimate, others would disagree. Ava Liddy ‘22 says that the hallway gives seniors space “to do stupid stuff”. She continued, “The open space also allows you to see everyone clearly….We’re also around fun teachers”

Whether the people love or hate each hallway, Upper School students will eventually experience each one. Love it or hate it, it’s tradition.