COLD DIPS UNITE BOARDERS

COLD DIPS

BOLSTER BONDS IN BOARDING

If there is one thing that St Mary’s boarders are renowned for, it is their sense of community. Despite hailing from a variety of regional Western Australian towns, some of which are separated by thousands of kilometres, our boarders are united in their shared boarding experience and take great pride in caring for one another.

That is why introducing a wellbeing initiative geared towards strengthening the girls’ connections was at the forefront of our Wing Captains’ minds when they gathered at the start of the year to map out a plan for Term 1. After much brainstorming, the captains landed on a ‘Cold Dips’ initiative, which had the girls jumping out of bed early on Wednesday mornings to walk down to nearby Trigg Beach and enjoy a mood-boosting dip in the ice-cold ocean. The benefits of the concept were two-fold. First, it bolstered the girls’ bonds by bringing boarders of all ages together in a relaxed and supportive setting. Second, it afforded the girls an opportunity to experience the scientifically proven health benefits of cold water. Numerous studies have proven that cold water immersion can improve circulation, stimulate the body’s immune system, reduce muscle soreness, deepen sleep and spike energy levels. Other studies have also concluded that it can alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression. “Essentially, we go down to the water, get in, have a good time with our mates and then talk about how we’re feeling,” Dannatt Wing Captain, Rachael Daw, told Fideliter. “When you come back everyone is happy, feeling fresh and ready to tackle the day. Everyone gets around each other and supports one another, which is great. That’s exactly what we wanted. “The boarding house is such a big community; we have more than 180 girls and we really wanted to create links between the year groups, encourage girls to come out of their shells and build that sense of belonging.” Head of Boarding, Kellie Douglas, said she was thrilled to see the girls’ Cold Dips concept come to fruition. “I think it is really important that the girls have some ownership over what they are developing. They are really focusing on mental health and positive mental health this year and I think that this is going to lead to more positive psychology programs that we have in the pipeline for the boarding house,” she said. “The girls have been loving it and I have had several girls who have asked to go more often because they have noticed their enhanced mood after taking a cold dip. They just love the feeling of being in the water.”