Each Friday, the School co-presidents organize activities for Auditorium, which might take the form of student film screenings, minute to win-it style games, dance offs, lip sync competitions, or performances.

A spontaneous holiday announced by the head of school. The first Head of School Holiday was called in 1908 in honor of Maxwell O. Parry, Class of 1905, to commemorate his winning the Ten Eyck Prize at Yale. Sometimes, students go to the head of School’s house (called Frank House) and sing “Fair Hotchkiss” the night before they want a holiday; other times, the head announces the holiday unexpectedly, and students sing in celebration.

When retiring teachers finish their final class, all students and faculty line the halls as they exit their classroom for the last time.

All new students meet with the head of school in the Chapel for a ceremony welcoming them to the Hotchkiss community. Each student introduces himself or herself to the rest of the new students, shakes hands with the head of school, and writes his or her name and hometown in a leather-bound book.

At the seal’s center is Athena, the patron goddess of wisdom and ancient Athens, shown in profile with her helmet. Encircling her image are the words of the Hotchkiss motto: Moniti Meliora Sequamur. The Latin phrase, which comes from Virgil’s “Aeneid,” might be loosely translated to mean, "Guided by each other, let us seek better paths." Because of our commitment to our Latin motto, we refer to the goddess as Minerva, Athena's Roman counterpart.

A much-anticipated event complete with a slip 'n' slide, dunking machine, cotton candy, and burgers that first began in 1965. The carnival, held the first weekend of the fall semester, is organized by the seniors as a class fund-raiser and celebration to start of the year.

The week leading up to and including Taft Day, the fall Saturday when Hotchkiss competes against Taft in every sport. From the start of the week to the Friday night pep rally to Taft Day itself, blue and white rule. Six days of fun: clash day, nerd day, preppy day, “secret dorm day” (when all the students in each dorm dress up according to a chosen theme), twin day, and Taft Day.

Each winter, students and faculty take to the basketball courts in a friendly matchup. Students dress up in creative costumes, and faculty members have been known to do similarly ridiculous things. Each year, the proceeds from the ticket sales go to Habitat for Humanity spring break building trip.

On the Saturday following Spirit Week, Hotchkiss and Taft hash out their rivalry in a day of athletic matchups, held at Hotchkiss every other year. Bearcat pride is always in full force, whether Hotchkiss is home or away.

"Daily Themes,” an exercise that takes place over a two-month period during which all lower mids write up to 40 papers on themes of their choosing, dates back to the mid-20th century at Hotchkiss. A second writing tradition at Hotchkiss is the “ticket,” a spontaneous overnight essay assigned in all grades. The essay becomes the student’s “ticket” into class the following day.