A day in the life of a Boarder at TGC

SOPHIE DUDLEY AND CHRIS BOWKER – MOSSGIEL & MACKIE CAPTAINS

So, I hear you ask.. what is boarding really like? What does a day in the life of a Boarder look like? Sophie and Chris, our Boarding Captains share their insights into what it is like to live in this very special family.

Mornings

Our weekdays begin by a gentle wake up, just like most other teenagers, but for us it is either the tutor on duty or one of the prefects who does the honours.

We then get ready for the day and, as a collective, head over to the Dining Hall for our favourite meal of the day. Especially after an early sports practise, nothing hits the spot like a hearty meal of bacon and eggs, croissants, cereal, or muffins. As you can imagine, the chatter is a dull roar as we socialise together as a Boarding community.

School time

Senior School students then embark on a short walk to our House rooms and Middle Schoolers jump on the bus, and the school day begins. At recess we collect our snack from the Dining Hall (or the canteen at Middle School), the same with lunch, and we go and enjoy it with the day students, although they are often jealous of our deliciously hot toasties...

After School

After school, snacks await us in our common rooms. This is one of the best parts of the day as we get to debrief

while enjoying a chocolate milk, scone, or cookie.

Then there is sports practice or free time before we are eating again!

Dinner

The dinner bell is rung at 5:45pm and back we go to reunite in the Dining Hall. After everyone has finished their meal, we return to our respective houses for structured study.

After school study

As a Boarder, our most valued resources are our tutors, not just for their vast knowledge and ability to keep us all on track, but for their kindness, dedication, and selection of silly jokes. Each night we are lucky to have access to a Maths, Science or English teacher to assist in both Houses.

After study we once again socialise, in our House – there is a theme here perhaps?! before getting organised for the next day and heading off to bed.

Weekends

Our weekends are very easy going. We have APS Sport on Saturday morning, and then have the rest of the day to hang out with our boarding family, to visit day friends or make the most of the down time to study or watch Netflix. Every second Sunday we go on an outing which are heaps of fun. This year we have been to Adventure Park, Lorne, shopping in Melbourne, tree surfing and go-karting. We have also had time with our families over the Boarders’ weekend.

These weekend activities are always such fun and a great way to build friendships and make memories that will stay with us forever.

In summary

Boarding is a great experience - not just because of the resources we are lucky to have, but because of the unbreakable friendships and connections we form within our tight knit community.

A new look for Mossgiel

The common room in Mossgiel has had a huge facelift and is now a wonderful place for the girls and staff to hang out, bake and study.