Edited by Amanda Ferrari, Director Boarding Schools Expo Australia
Before starting at boarding school, I decided I was going to be a ‘yes girl,’ which, broadly speaking meant that I was going to make the most of every opportunity. I said yes to things I wouldn’t have contemplated at my local high school because it may have been considered weird or lame or boring. I believe that one of the most magical things about boarding school – or my experience anyway – is that there really is no weird, or lame, or boring.
Had I not set my intention as a ‘yes girl’, I wouldn’t have been the stage manager of a play (having never done drama being going away to school); I wouldn’t have had the whole of our year group stay at our farm near Wagga Wagga planting 1,000 trees over a weekend; I wouldn’t have tried hockey or basketball or debating; and I wouldn’t have spent my Tuesday afternoons at the nursing home down the road – singing and dancing like only uncoordinated people do – which quickly became a highlight of the week!
I also wouldn’t have gone trick-or-treating the night before an HSC exam only to return to the boarding house to the very unimpressed face of our headmaster. Would I change that? Absolutely not.
I think an interesting way to consider the impact of opportunities is to reflect on the things you almost didn’t do and imagine how different your life would have been, or would still be, had you not said ‘yes’.
When you do leave boarding school, don’t you want to look back and be sure there was no page left unturned? That you had no fuel left in the tank ? That there was not an interest you hadn’t pursued? That the fun was had!!
School should be an environment where you feel safe to try new things and understand yourself better with every new experience, conversation and opportunity.
When you graduate from school – believe it or not – there will be things that you miss. We often understand these things to be the routine, the support and the opportunity to pursue extracurricular activities.
I would urge you, with your time at boarding school, embrace all of the sporting, academic, cultural and community activities available to you. Don’t be afraid to put your hand up for an excursion, sign-up for a social change group or suggest your school offers a new activity for students.
Our top tips:
- Don’t waste time wondering what other people will think of you for doing the things you want to try. They don’t define you or other people’s opinions of you.
- Go out of your way to seek out new opportunities, don’t wait for them to fall at your feet.
- Try things that you usually wouldn’t because without trying something, you won’t know if you might actually really enjoy it or be good at it.
- Seize the hours of the day and don’t waste time scrolling through socials.
- Involve your friends/peers if that will make you feel more comfortable.
- Get comfortable being uncomfortable.
For more tips and tricks, visit @womnkind on Instagram.