Whether students were looking forward in anticipation or dreading its return, the new year has arrived. As with every back-to-school article, this one is full of announcements, including the G.O.’s plans for “Gen Rmz,” the theme of this year. Kicking it off at the introduction assembly, the G.O., led by President Ilan Putterman ’23, Vice President Alex Paul ’23, Junior Vice President Raymond Ashkenazie ’24, AVP of communications Eliza Binstock ’23, and AVP of student life Alex Gage ’23, are excited to implement both action and humor into their leadership. “The G.O. is working hard to support all students and help them thrive in school. We are constantly meeting with the administration and students to make school as fun and happy as possible,” says Ashkenazie  ’23. This year’s G.O. skit was filled with wordplay and included bloopers consisting of zoom mishaps and glitches. The skit was centered around the idea that peoples’ phobias can radiate off of each other, things that, at least for many students, have been repressed, along with their memories of COVID-19 from the last few years. With the end of longstanding mask mandates across the city, and, to many teachers’ happiness, the termination of zoom school, it seems that this year may finally be the return to reality. 

This year’s freshmen, all 102 of them, are the largest grade Ramaz has had in the last ten years. With these fresh new faces comes real change to school. Over the Summer, the gym was remodeled due to the disastrous flood that happened during finals. There are new teachers, all of whom have been interviewed in this issue, along with the dreaded return to the 8:00 am – 4:45 pm schedule. At least davening is first, though, a relief for the halachically minded and commuters alike. That, and the return of the free coffee downstairs, marks a welcome return for many. The Week in Review, hosted last year by Caleb Rosenfeld ’21 and Adrian Rosenfeld ’24, returned with Adrian as director and producer and new lead newscaster Rebecca Kalimi ’23. Be sure to check out their videos. 

The Student Ambassador’s program, spearheaded by Putterman ’23 and the Institutional Advancement office, is an initiative to get the student body more involved in developing and helping out at alumni and sponsorship events. That, alongside the Hitalovout mentoring program and Wharton Investment team, are just some of the applications currently open for the plethora of opportunities Ramaz offers. Choir, Model UN and Mock Trial tryouts are back. So are Friday tisches, with Rabbi Manu leading them while Rabbi Weiser, whose vacancy can be felt in all minyanim, is on leave for the semester. The school is alive— students running in all directions, scurrying to find their classrooms and the constant buzzing of Schoology reminders detailing upcoming tests and homework. Take a second to breathe it all in. The student body is back.