Dinner is followed quickly by registration where students
are updated on house-related news and evening
arrangements as well as, of course, who is on washing
up duty, after which the two rostered boys are met with
rapturous applause for their soon-to-be sterling work.
Boarders then have 90 minutes to do prep before an
evening activity with the duty teacher, usually consisting
of loud music and, whilst aesthetically displeasing,
enthusiastic dancing; what Abingdon boarders lack in
quality on a dance floor, they make up for in quantity.
As the hard-core partygoers tire, younger year groups are
put to bed by the duty prefects who, to the wonder of any
observer, manage to get 20 students out of the shower
and into bed on time, with not a minute to spare. Tutors
are also on hand to make sure the well-oiled machine that
is the boarding house is running smoothly. Slowly the
house settles down, eventually leaving only the Sixth Form
awake as they get some extra work done before going to
bed, which they try to do as quietly as they can.
Unfortunately they aren’t renowned for their subtlety. After
the occasional late shower, they too head to bed and the
house goes to sleep; that is until the duty tutor leaves,
after which the odd side lamp
switches back on as an
unlucky soul remembers that
he hasn’t done a piece of
homework due in the next day.
A day in the life of a boarder continued
