“My brother attended [Northwood] between 2019 and 2020, so I heard about Northwood through him. He loved it.
“When I came here three years ago, I was completely French. I had some English classes in high school in Quebec, and I had my basics down, but going to a foreign country to study and adapting to school was hard. I wouldn’t say I had the best grades my first year, but [Mr.] Runyon would adapt my papers because my English was terrible, and he’d adapt my grades since I didn’t know English.
“I kinda like being isolated. We’re not allowed to use our cars here, so we have to walk into town, and there are only 200 students here. And it’s not like a day school, where you just come in and go out. You get to bond with everyone here. It’s a different kind of experience, which I love.
“My highlight [of the Northwood experience] has to be the bonding between the students that you don’t get at other prep schools. I’ve heard from kids at other prep schools that the school’s super boring, but here, we’ve got activities for the entire school to do that to bring the school together. The highlight of my three years here is probably the friends and the brothers that I’ve made. I still talk to kids from my 1st year and last year that I consider my brothers.
“I enjoy formal dinners a lot, but my highlight from all my years has to be Winter Carnival. It’s just such a great day, like even this year, I’m not the best with names and knowing kids, apart from my hockey friends, but every single year, there’s this one guy [through Carnival] that I learn about and talk to and make friends with. Just a super nice bonding activity, with the four peaks and stuff like that. I enjoy that a lot.
“[I’ll remember Northwood for] probably my hockey career here. Like I said earlier, I have so much fun playing hockey here. I’ve made friends for life. I’ve had the best coaches I’ve had in my life here. I’m going to miss it a lot. College and juniors are so different. Here, we have team breakfast; hop on the bus with your whole team, go practice, and come back. Yeah, hockey’s probably my highlight.”
“I’m looking forward to having a good time and enjoying the last three months. I was touring a French family a couple of weeks ago, and I was telling them how I’ve enjoyed every single night I’ve spent here. I’ve been here three years, and I know I’m going to miss this place, so I’m just trying to enjoy every moment, every dinner with my friends, every lunch, every breakfast, every game.
“I’m talking to a couple of colleges for D3 College Hockey. If I opt to go Juniors, I’ll probably play a year of juniors and then go D3, so it’s still a decision I must make. I’m looking forward to just enjoying my last four games. Last year, I didn’t know I was going to PG, so that last game was super emotional. I thought I wouldn’t wear the jersey again, so it was a super emotional game day for my family. Just knowing that this year is gonna be my last one, I’m giving these last four games all I have. I have no regrets about my career here.”
As told to Gus Garvey ’25. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.