Hannah King ’23
Mercersburg Academy is a bustling and hectic place for students, and sometimes it is great to just step back. The weekend Student Activity Center (SAC) events are the perfect way to do that, especially when there is a trip to the beautiful Georgetown area. Last weekend’s trip provided an escape from the realities of campus demands. There were no papers to write, tests to study for, or assignments to complete when wandering the beautiful historic streets. Students jumped at the opportunity.
After a short two-hour van ride, students were set free from the drop-off point to do whatever they pleased, as long as they still followed school rules. A very popular place for Mercersburg students was Crumbs & Whiskers | Kitten & Cat Cafe. “My favorite spot had to be the cat cafe. I think that this spot was definitely different than where most other students visited because you had to book a time slot,” said Yael Hochberg ‘25. This was a new and fluffy experience for many and they had nothing but exciting reports to give – and with 4.5 stars on Yelp, who could blame them? Students also took the opportunity to pamper themselves. “We went to a nail salon which was really nice and relaxing,” said Caroline Simpson ‘22 in her report on the day with her friends.
When living in a place where you and your roommate are also neighbors with cows, there are not a lot of places to pick up your favorite essentials, refresh your closet, or refill anything running low. So, with the plethora of stores, students indulged in a little retail therapy. “My friends and I just went shopping and had lunch. We didn’t go anywhere too stand-outish, just the classics like Free People and Urban Outfitters,” said Simpson. Frances Elwood ‘23 said, “I ate a lot, went to a cat cafe to play with kittens, and shopped in stores like Sephora, Patagonia, and more.” The variety is endless, it seems, when you upgrade from livestock to store-front shops.
Sandra Apfelroth ‘22 and her party decided to take in more of the local scenery. “We went shopping and ate at different cafes, then went to the Georgetown museum and spent a while in the outdoor section soaking up some sun. Finally, we spent some time at the waterfront looking at the DC scenery,” she said.
Students also tried new and exciting eateries while away from the dining hall. Elwood said, “I loved the burger place Good Stuff Eatery. The burgers were amazing, even if a little pricey.” Some places were better than others though. “Georgetown Cupcakes was overpriced and overhyped,” said Apfelroth.
All in all, students had a great time and will jump at the chance to go again. “In the future, I absolutely would go again. I also went on the Tyson’s Corner trip, which I definitely loved and would do again,” said Elwood. Simpson agreed, “I would definitely go again. It’s nice to get off campus and do something you normally wouldn’t get to do.”