Blog
Lower Sixth in Glara Mara
On a rainy morning in the first week of September, the Lower 6th embarked on a three day team-building course in the picturesque Lake District.
Well, this is what Mr Cavallini had assured us awaited us as we started the three hour coach journey to Glaramara, but many were left sceptical as we kept an eye on the black clouds looming. The three day course included activities such as gorge scrambling and abseiling, plus helpful revision tips and evening activities in which everyone was encouraged to find out their individual learning styles, and decide on what constituted as a successful A level student, and 6th former. As well as this there were plenty of laughs with some of Mr Austen’s infamous games, one of which involved everyone forming a giant circle, and then all sitting on the person behind’s knee simultaneously. It all went spectacularly well, with Mr Austen expressing serious amazement at how quickly we managed it, until Mr Cavallini pulled out the camera to capture our victory. Before he managed to do so, a domino effect had begun which meant everyone ended up in a giant pile-up. Highlights of the evening sessions included the seemingly pointless activity of drawing a pig, but apparently the particular way we had drawn the pig meant something deep and meaningful about our personalities. For example. If we had drawn our pig in the top half of the page, it meant you were an optimistic person, who always saw the best in a situation. My favourite moment has to be watching the ever graceful Mr Lincoln attempting to eat a strawberry lace with no hands, a competition which we had participated in half an hour earlier. It put us all to shame when he beat us all hands down.
On the first morning, I was told I would be climbing, and to say I was terrified would be an understatement. But not as terrified as I was when I saw a sheer drop, and was told we would be in fact abseiling down it. I was convinced I couldn’t do it, and spent every other second thinking I should just opt out, but instead decided to man up. It was an opportunity I was glad I didn’t miss. Although my heart was in my mouth the whole time, the feeling when I got to the bottom made it all worthwhile. I wouldn’t exactly say I’d rush back to do it again, but the exhilaration of knowing I did something that had just 20 minutes ago scared the living daylights out of me, made me see A levels as a walk in the park! The gorge scrambling also proved popular with many, and much like the abseiling, was terrifying but exhilarating at the same time! The super fashionable wet suit-over trouser combo, life jackets and helmets were not greeted with as much enthusiasm however. At one point, down the river, was my favourite part of the three days. We were expected to jump off a rock, down to the pool beneath, with a pretty significant drop. Although everyone was scared, the fact everyone clubbed together and helped each other out by shouting up encouragement, meant that Mr Cavallini’s promise of team building was genuinely taking shape.
Despite the adverse weather conditions, and the lack of hot water that seemed to occur just when the showers were most needed, the three days were a huge success with everyone proving to themselves they could face their fears, and has meant we can now head into our first year of 6th form feeling ready to take on the challenges of the two years that lie ahead of us
Sophie Lenton, L6