KURTIS WEEKS 2018 Head of Boarding
Being a boarder teaches you many things, including the importance of responsibility and satisfaction in getting things done.
team and working with everyone to make this another memorable College year. Every aspect of the boarding experience at Christ’s College is special – and I feel privileged to be Head of Boarding for 2018. I’m from Hawke’s Bay and have been a boarder here since Year 9. As a keen sportsman, I’ve worked my way through the ranks and have played in both College’s 1st XI cricket and 1st XV rugby teams. When you board at College, it really is like becoming part of another family – and that’s what gives it that home away from home feeling. You live with boys from all year groups and of different nationalities and cultures, and the bonds formed
among the boys are so strong I’m sure they’ll last a lifetime. There are many benefits to being a boarder. One of the key benefits is access to tutors – for example, my Housemaster is a Mathematics teacher and he is always happy to help out when I’m stuck. Another benefit is sports training. Whether it be in the morning when you can get up five minutes before training, run downstairs and still be on time, or in the afternoon when, after you’ve finished, you’re already home with dinner ready, it’s so convenient. In addition, and this may be pretty obvious but is often missed, you’re living with your mates. It’s fun. There’s always something to do and someone to do it with, and plenty of good-natured banter in the House.
We all have jobs to do within the boarding House and the House can’t function properly without everyone playing their part. Living in the boarding community means everyone is expected to step up and do their bit. Another thing I’ve learned through boarding is tolerance and respect, and accepting people’s differences. We’re a mix of boys from rural and urban backgrounds, from both New Zealand and overseas. Some come from other cultural backgrounds and don’t have English as their first language. We’ve all been brought up in different ways and have different opinions and beliefs. Learning to live together and get on with each other, to celebrate our differences and find common ground, has not only helped me develop as a person, but has also been one of the highlights of my time at College. It’s given me skills for life. I’d like to leave boarding in a better place than when I started and make changes, no matter how big or small, to improve the daily life of all boarders at College. I’m enjoying being part of the student leadership
College Issue 34 2018
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