From the Captains

This week marks the halfway point of the Year 10 21 Day Journey through the Flinders Ranges and as you read this, Tiger and I have joined the Year 10 students for the last half of their trip.

Ask most old scholars, and they’ll tell you that this experience was one of the highlights of their time at St Peter’s College.

I was fortunate enough to participate in all four Pushing the Boundaries camps. As the name suggests, these programs are designed to test us – to pull us out of our routines and challenge us through a different form of education.

It’s the kind of education that, in our increasingly digital world, is often lost. It doesn’t hit you in the face like some proclaimed ‘quick fix’. Instead, it occurs through simplicity. Simplicity of routine and simplicity of activity. Outside the pressure to stay constantly connected, there is something deeply beautiful about waking up to the sun rising over the Grampians, Marion Bay or the top of Wilpena Pound.

Almost every teenager today finds it difficult to sit in stillness without a device or distraction. I still struggle with it myself. The only times I’ve truly experienced that peace have been on school camps – especially the Year 10 journey. The time you spend with your own thoughts during the three-week trek around the Flinders is invaluable and comes at a formative moment in many boys’ lives.

There is no hiding on the Year 10 journey. The mornings are often the harshest part of the day, packing down your often frozen-over hutchie and having to pile on layers as you leave your sleeping bag. Your body aches as you grunt and hoist your pack onto your back again. The first 30 minutes of the walk feel stiff and endless. However, you soon hit your groove. You begin to appreciate the stunning scenery you are going through, and as the morning sun’s warmth begins to reach you, you get struck by a feeling of appreciation. The feeling of peace is quite indescribable and everything just feels right. By the time you reach dinner, you feel a sense of accomplishment and also pride that yet again you just got it done.

The rigid routine seems unforgiving at first, but after a few days, you begin to appreciate the discipline and even thrive in it. You learn a lot about yourself and the people around you when you spend three weeks without many basic comforts and amenities at your immediate disposal. You learn about a person’s true character when they are cold and hungry, yet still willing to lend a hand helping set up lunch. You gain respect for those that are willing to encourage others struggling through a tough walk, even when they are tired themselves. There is also a quiet sense of self-confidence that you gain from looking after and depending on yourself.

Going on these camps are one of the great privileges of this School. You will never regret having gone, but you will regret not going. Make sure you do not miss the opportunity to go on these journeys. Three weeks in the Flinders may seem hard and tough, and it is supposed to be. Nothing worthwhile ever comes from staying in your comfort zone.

Aadi Mittal
School Captain