ENDURE WHEN YOU MUST ENDURE WHEN YOU MUST
By: Sarah McAdam ā26
Now that Out Back is just a few days away, it feels appropriate to share some of my experience: from a perspective of being under 5 feet tall I wrote my college essay on being the small one and I often found myself referencing back to my time on Out Back. For me, Out Back consisted of boots a few sizes too big, a pack that felt heavier than it should have, and extremely slow walking. I know this all sounds bad on paper, but despite a few blistered feet, OB turned out to be one of the best experiences of my time at Holderness. One thing I quickly realized, and you will too, is that everyone on OB faces some sort of challenge because itās not actually supposed to be easy for everyone. Those in my group know how slowly I walked, often at the back of the group with my pack that I could have probably fit inside of. Ironically, āTall Caseyā was my leader, and his pack was probably twice as big as mine carrying twice the weight. I did find myself actually falling over when my pack decided it wanted to take me down, and you might too. My advice is to find a good hiking stick early on, and you will have some balance
(continued on the next page)
Endure When You Must
However, what's special about OB is that you learn to embrace these hard moments, whether they're physical, mental, or emotional.
To me, Out Back became a way to accept limitations and discover a few strengths of mine. For example, it turns out Iām pretty good at whittling sticks and tying knots with my p-cord. Out Back taught me resilience and that it matters a lot more than pace Each step, slow as it may have been, reminded me that it is not about speed or being at the front of the line It is about how fully we engage with the experience, how we rise to our own challenges, and how we carry ourselves through difficult moments. If I were asked to give juniors advice, my list would probably be endless. It would consist of: always keep a pair of socks and hat in your sleeping bag to stay dry, journal more than you want to on solo, and remember that a snowshoe makes a pretty decent shovel But, if I could only say one thing it would be this: no matter how tall you are, how many miles you have hiked, or how many days you have spent camping in the past, not every moment will be easy. Just remember that's the point. āEnjoy when you can, and endure when you must.ā
āI liked that we didnāt have our phones during the day during PO.ā
-Anonymous
āI donāt like OB bagels.ā
-River Werner ā26
āThe hiking during OB isnāt that bad.ā -Anonymous
āYou shouldnāt come to Holderness if you donāt go on Out Back. ā
-Viktor Samal ā26
HOLDY HOT TAKES HOLDY HOT TAKES
āI liked being the honey bear on OB ā -Anonymous
ā
āI miss the food on OB.ā
-Anonymous
24hr plays are the best of AB.ā
-Sylvie Bangasimbo ā26
āMaple syrup on pizza is good.ā
-Anonymous
āSit down should be academic dress all winter. ā
-Annabel Burton ā 27
4 YEARS OF WAR 4 YEARS OF WAR
Current Events Club
By: Charlotte Hoffman ā27
A lot can happen in four years. A student can earn a college degree. A child can grow from elementary to middle school. An athlete can train for and compete in the Olympics. In four years, lives can change. But for Ukraine, the past four years have been marked not by ordinary milestones, but by resilience in the face of a relentless war.
February 24th, 2026 marked the four-year mark since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, dramatically escalating the conflict that began in 2014. What many expected to be a swift campaign instead became one of Europe's most consequential wars since World War II. Cities like Mariupol have been devastated, millions of Ukrainians displaced, and families divided by borders and battle lines.
Under the leadership of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy,
Ukraine mobilized not only its military but its citizens. Teachers became aid organizers. Engineers built defenses. Ordinary citizens adapted to air raid sirens as a part of daily life. Internationally, the war reshaped alliances, strengthened NATO unity, and prompted unprecedented economic sanctions against Russia.
The human cost has been staggering. Tens of thousands of soldiers have been killed or wounded, and civilian infrastructure, from power grids to schools, has been repeatedly targeted. Yet despite exhaustion and uncertainty, Ukraine remains standing.
For Ukraine, the past four years have been years of survival, sacrifice, and determination. As the war enters its fifth year, the question facing the world is no longer whether the conflict will shape history, but how it will ultimately end.
CAPSTONE CAPSTONE SPOTLIGHT SPOTLIGHT
Whyissleepour superpowerandwhyisit crucialforourwellbeing?
ViktorSamal
Howmuchofwhowe becomeisshapedbythe orderinwhichweare born?
KateCarboni
Whydopunitivedrugpolicies leadtofailureandwhyis h mreductionabetter alternative?
JamesBae
Howhasmusic influencedculturaland personalidentity?
GraceTapply
Whyshouldwebe outside?
BrookeCippoletti
Howdoesfoodproductionin theUSimpacthealth comparedtoEuropean countriessuchasFranceor Italy?
FromAmazontotheWeld packageroom,whatcanwe learnaboutlogisticsfrommajor corporationstosupportsmaller scaleoperations?
CaseyLaiprasert
StellaGranat
WhatisAIāsroleinthe businessworld?
SamMcDonnell
OUT BACK OUT BACK Must Reads
By: Erik Thatcher ā08
By design, Out Back is a program devoid of lessons and rigid learning. Instead, it harnesses the power of intimate and memorable lessons delivered by hardship, nature, solitude, and group efforts But reading and writing have long been tools for students to help frame and digest the hardships theyāll encounter, the lessons theyāll learn or, in hindsight, the meaning of those lessons A letter went out to students before the first Out Back, encouraging them to read stories āabout man meeting stress or challenge in an elemental formā That letter recommended two books, including the first in this suggested reading list for Out Back participants. Many of these books, and more related to Out Back, can be found in the map room in Alfond āEnduranceā by Alfred Lansing chronicles the incredible story of survival by the crew of the ship Endurance, captained by Ernest Shackleton. The crew ā s Antarctic expedition met disaster when their ship got locked in the ice. They faced unimaginable challenges as they survived on the ice for months before embarking on a bold self-rescue mission that took them over land and sea. A writer could not have created a better tale and ship name than that of the Endurance and her crew to inspire the first half of the Out Back motto: endure when you must.
āInto the Wildā by Jon Krakauer was a frequently assigned pre-Out Back book in junior English classes once upon a time. This book follows the intriguing tale of Christopher McCandless as he abandons a comfortable life for the fateful solitude of the Alaskan wilderness. This book grapples, as MacCandless did, with concepts of freedom, the role of the individual in society, and the wildernessās unique way of helping us understand these big picture questions.
āBackwoods Ethics: A Guide to LowImpact Camping and Hikingā by Guy Waterman is the only book on this list of Out Back books that may, in fact, reference Out Back. The first issue came out a decade after the start of Out Back and refers, disparagingly, to an independent school that made messy annual use of the Sandwich Notch area, then home to Base Camp. The book both explains why we need to do better and how It doesnāt set forth a list of doās and donāts but rather describes how to develop an ethic in the backwoods to operate by, just as we have ethics for how to interact with each other (continued on page 10)
THEOSCARS:5 FILMSTOKNOW THE OSCARS: 5 FILMS TO KNOW
By: Sarah McAdam ā26
The Oscars are approaching, and if you are somebody who hasnāt kept up with the top movies, here are some thoughts on five notable films that you should know about before watching.
1 Hamnet: Those who have taken Shakespeare Out Loud might be interested to know a bit about Hamnet. Not to be confused with Hamlet, Hamnet follows the story of William Shakespeareās son, who died at a young age. The film is based off the book by Maggie OāFarrell and the story explores grief, family, and how personal loss may have influenced Shakespeareās later writing. It has earned attention for its emotional storytelling and strong performances, from actors Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal.
2 Frankenstein: Yes, that Frankenstein that you might have read before in Speculative Fiction Directed by Guillermo del Toro, this movie brings the classic Mary Shelley novel back to life with much a darker tone. It has been recognized especially in technical categories like cinematography and production design Even if you are not a horror fan, its artistic style has made it a major part of this year ā s Academy Awards.
3. Marty Supreme: Many of you have probably seen Marty Supreme starring the famous TimothƩe Chalamet Marty Supreme blends sports and personal drama in a story that critics have praised for its intensity and character development. It has emerged as a strong contender in major categories like Best Picture and Best Actor.
If you like competitive stories with emotional depth, this is one to look out for.
4. One Battle After Another: If you are a Leonardo DiCaprio fan, this is worth paying attention to. One Battle After Another follows a revolutionary group called The French 75 as they carry out attacks against government forces and become targets of a violent anti-immigration leader. Years later, the conflict continues through the next generation as secrets, revenge, and survival collide in a final showdown between family and political enemies This movie has become a steady contender this awards season and is often mentioned as a possible Best Picture nominee. It may not be the most talked-about film online, but it is one that critics have consistently praised
5 Sinners: Sinners is the top movie of the year and has set the record for highest number of nominations going into the Oscars. Directed by Ryan Coogler and starring Michael B. Jordan, Sinners follows twin brothers who return to their hometown in Clarksdale, Mississippi hoping for a fresh start, only to discover that a dark and supernatural force is waiting for them. As they confront their past, they are forced to fight for survival while uncovering secrets that connect their community to something far more dangerous Sinners has been one of the biggest stories of the year and it is expected to be one of the popular films at the 2026 Oscars. Whether it wins big or not, you will definitely hear its name more than once.
Out Back Must Reads continued from page 5
āEscape from Lucaniaā by David Roberts chronicles an expedition led by Bradford Washburn, a local legend and star of Mountaineeringās Golden Era Washburn and Bob Bates, half of the intended team, are stranded on a glacier in the Yukon 80 miles across unmapped terrain from the nearest outpost of civilization. Their goal was to climb Mt Lucania, the highest unclimbed peak in North America. Faced with the immediate challenge of not having half their team or a flight back to civilization, Washburn and Bates still decided to go for the summit, have a heck of an adventure back to civilization, and make detailed maps of the unmapped terrain along the way. They did not just endure, they thrived.
āThe Old Ways: A journey on footā by Robert MacFarlane is his attempt to grapple with the human connection to landscapes through paths He explores communities and cultures from his native United Kingdom to Palestine to the Himalayas He makes the case that walking in the footsteps of others connects us to community, past and present, and connects that community to the land. No book does better at illuminating the role of Out Back in the Holderness community
Hoit/Day boys
Henderson Webster Connell
Southside
Woodward/Pichette: 25
Hoit/Day boys/Henderson: 400
Webster/Connell: 375
Grey/Blue/Yellow/Red/Brown: 150
Rathbun/Guzman/Sargent/Rathbun: 100
Niles/Hinman/Day Girls: 0
DROVE SCOREBOARD DROVE SCOREBOARD
Volunteer for SCORE Boston Hockey, a non-profit to help lower income youth play hockey.
Songdy Assoume Oniane
Volunteer at Family Promise of Greater Concord and Rosie's Place.
Lillian Holland
Do a case study on doodling in a 4th-grade class & draw a collection of personal doodles and create a collage.
Caroline Miller
EXPERIENCES EXPERIENCES MARCHM A R C H
Intern at a farm in Italy.
Stella Granat
Shadow a boat builder in Maine, and design and build a model sailboat.
Aubryn King
Shadow at a sleep lab in Prague.
Viktor Samal
Design and 3D print a replica of the SR-71 and/or the U-2.
Ryan Plunkett
Travel to Vietnam and Japan on a limited budget. No itinerary, no hotels, etc. Plans will evolve once there, which is the point.
Archer Davenport
āBring wet wipes or baby wipes.ā
āSleep under the fly, not in the tent!ā āBring water flavoring packets if you can.ā
āHave an open mind, be willing to learn and willing to make mistakes.ā
āCheck your tarp for holes on the first day of solo.ā
āFind a little beauty in the hard times, it will help you enjoy the easy times even more.ā
āSOCK CHANGES!ā
āKeep a pair of socks that only lives in your sleeping bag.ā
OB ADVICE O B A DV I C E
āDonāt cheat yourself on solo.ā
WHAT MAKES OB SPECIAL? WHAT MAKES OB SPECIAL?
āMy absolute favorite part is seeing everyone return to campus - the energy and excitement is palpable- but another favorite part is when I get to see groups passing through the base camp area on thursday - the day before solo starts. Kids have been in the woods for four days and they are so excited to see people outside their group and nervous about the start of solo the next morning. It is also cool to see how the each group has become a group.ā
-Randy Houseman, coordinator of OB
THE BLUE JEAN BAN THE BLUE JEAN BAN
By: Maddy Mahmouzian ā26
At Holderness, the dress code is familiar territory Most students can tell you the basics without thinking. No hats, hoodies, sweats, leggings, or anything inappropriate. Although these rules stand strong and haven't changed, one detail that continues to spark debate is the blue jean ban. The irony is that the jeans themselves aren't banned; black, gray, pink, purple, and even bright green denim pairs are permitted. The only version that crosses the line is the most classic one, the blue jean. On the surface, it seems minor, but the distinction raises a larger question about what professionalism really looks like in an academic setting. Blue jeans are often associated with informality, and the schoolās intent to cultivate a focused and clean learning environment is clear. The clothes we wear reflect our mindset.
Yet cultural standards evolve. Blue jeans aren't just worn on the weekends or during manual labor. Nowadays, they appear in office settings, business-casual events, and other classrooms across the country Jeans, although once seen as casual, now reflect a sense of normalcy. For students, the restriction feels less like a distraction or informality, but it feels like normalcy. This rule isnāt new or hidden. It is a known fact, and students are responsible for knowing it. Sometimes the enforcement feels very specific, like a pair of dark wash jeans that look black but aren't In those moments, it feels less about focus and class time and instead just about the color of your pants.
Ultimately, the blue jean debate is a small part of campus life overall. But it represents something bigger: the balance of maintaining tradition and recognizing change. Until the policy changes, students will continue to hang up their blue jeans and reach for their black, gray, and colorful jeans. That being said, itās worth asking is every other color of denim meets the standard, why is blue the exception?
Thank You for Reading!
OrlaShillingford
This is where youāll be able to submit hot takes, answer polls, and more
We want to hear your feedback so we can create a newspaperYOU want to read. Send us article ideas you have and content you want to see! If you want to start writing for the Picador, EMAIL US oshillingford26@holderness.org smcadam26@holderness.org
All photos by: Max Paro & Mr. Kwasnik Edited by:
Orla Shillingford, Sarah McAdam, Mr. Kwasnik, & Ms. Bourelle
We sincerely hope you enjoyed reading the 3rd edition of the 2025-2026 Picador. Huge thanks to all of our staff who put tremendous time and effort into making this edition possible.
SarahMcAda