Sam Walker (14368)
Peter Anderson (7260)
George Yeoman (14377)
What lesson from College became more important later in life? Doors open to those who knock. Opportunities do not present themselves to the most talented but rather to those who persist and seek them out. What life experience has shaped you the most so far? The Christchurch earthquakes were an important reminder that (1) you can’t fully plan your life – there will be bumps and unplanned diversions; (2) you should only worry about what you can control and adapt to what you can’t; and (3) life and loved ones can’t be taken for granted. What does success mean for you now? Being happy, healthy, and fulfilled. What advice would you give your 16-year-old self? Life is a marathon not a sprint. There will be times you are charging ahead, and times you are falling behind. Keep your humility in success, keep your perspective in failure, and enjoy the journey.
What lesson from College became more important later in life? The main lesson I believe I learnt while at College that became more important later in life was that of being tolerant and considerate of others. As a result, I believe I have worked with and lived successfully and happily with others. What life experience has shaped you the most so far? All life’s experiences shape us, and always will. For me, those include family loss and grief, and a serious illness. However, probably the more influential experiences occur in early life. One of mine occurred at College when I had to take on the responsibility of leading a boarding house as Head of House. That experience prepared me for responsibilities, commitments, and
What lesson from College became more important later in life? I think the main benefit of the House system is the integration with boys of various age groups. That ‘forced’ interaction has given me the confidence to engage with people irrespective of their background. That confidence to engage unbothered by who someone is has been a real lesson from College. What life experience has shaped you the most so far? The 2011 earthquake – the disruption that followed was immense – with the physical House changing location all the time, classrooms in pre-fabs etc – but from there, we just had to get on with it. What does success mean for you now? Success is something that is always round the corner, a bit like a goal that should always be just beyond your reach. It’s human nature to want more, but to keep trying to continually improve is the point. I don’t think I’ll ever arrive at a destination, and say ‘brilliant, that’s success sorted’. What advice would you give your 16-year-old self? We are extremely lucky to attend a school where you can row, play polo, learn music, have the House system. There are so many opportunities to get involved in, take all of them.
resilience required later in life. What does success mean for you now?
I remember in my early university days listening to a well-known and respected ethologist discussing successful societies, including those of social animals. I quote what he said and truly believe, “the only true measure of man’s success in life is how well he gets on with his fellow man”. What advice would you give your 16-year-old self? Seize the day and grab every opportunity that comes your way. Look at the big picture and don’t sweat the small stuff.
COLLEGE 2026
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