Boarding 

Our resilience is bound in a connected community

Although many may hear the term resilience banded around in recent times, in reality it is something that has been around for many years. Our international families have recently traversed unique social challenges, our rural and regional communities continue to overcome the ravages of fire devastation whilst, in the past, many of our farming families have been in the midst of seemingly unbreaking drought.

When we face adversity, we all respond in different ways. Some will dig down and stoically face the challenge no matter what the consequence, others may reach out and ask for help to get through the tough times, or others may fall back on experience and reframe the situation confidently knowing they will be okay.

When we’re in a situation as we are at the moment, it makes it difficult to think of a time much the same. We have boarders who are been disappointed with sport cancellation, closure of venues, fixtures rearranged or cancelled, and major events postponed. With our developments at College at the moment we are asked to step-up and face changing and challenging times. When situations are out of our control we can find it to be challenging; essentially this is the adversity we face in the boarding house.

Personal and collective adversities dramatically affect our boarders’ wellbeing. Overcoming these can be very challenging. A consistent piece in the resilience puzzle is the importance of a strong and connected community. To this, our boarding house is very lucky in some respects. Yes, we may be away from our family at times, but optimistically, we are bound as our own unique family too. I understand many of our boarders are sons and daughters of past boarders who will understand the life-long bonds you form in boarding. And, even you were not a boarder, I can assure you that the connections our boarders have between each other, with boarding staff and College staff are relentlessly strong.

Anxious times of uncertainty, like this, are opportunities for boarders to group together, whether this be online, through social media platforms, or face-to-face. Strengthening their friendships and support of each other is a real outcome in times of adversity. It is times like this when countries are isolating areas, and in some circumstances isolating family homes, we need to consider what is best for our boarders. For boarders of all ages, immediate family is important. So, in the time of personal and collective adversity, we will continue to be strong, compassionate and optimistic for each other. As we move into a period of continuous learning from our home environment we need to conscious of being optimistic, making efforts to stay connected, and keeping our academic routines as normal as possible.

Message from our Boarding Captains

At the boarding house we have a strong and supportive united cohort of boarders who are always there to care for one another at these challenging times. If the boarders were advised to go home this would be a challenge but among our cohort of boarders, we would all be supportive of one another. We are thinking of our international students who have already faced an isolation period earlier this year and their families at home. Due to some sporting commitments being cancelled we are planning to be creative at this time and incorporate some fitness run by the boarding house.

Andrew Monk

Director of Boarding