Blog: Make it extraordinary!

This week in our Principal’s Assembly, Charlie, one of our Vice Captains for 2020/2021, spoke about some of the opportunities she has taken to push herself outside her comfort zone.

I hope that everyone has settled back in. And to everyone who joined us this year, you are no longer considered a ‘new girl’, but you are now as much of a Wenonian as the rest of us. This year is going to be full of emotions, so let’s aim to make it an extraordinary one, full of new friendships, new activities and new experiences.

Today, I would like to talk to you about a few times in my life when I have gained extraordinary experiences out of ordinary moments. Throughout my time at ��AV, I have endeavoured to take every opportunity presented to me, and although many did not work out the way I wanted them to, I have almost always been able to take something out of it – whether it was a life lesson, or just a realisation that not everything will work out the way we imagine them to.

In last week’s Assembly, we received some exciting news: this year’s musical is going to be Matilda! Picture this – it’s 2019 and I have decided to audition for ��AV’s Wizard of Oz musical. As a girl who is not classified as ‘a performer’, I was absolutely terrified to be auditioning. However, I thought there was no harm in trying. Little did I know that – after believing in myself and leaving my nerves behind – I would then be performing on stage at the Concourse Theatre in Chatswood, just a few (very tiring) months later. The 2019 musical was one of my personal highlights of ��AV that year and I wouldn't trade it for the world. So, I highly recommend that all of you – whether you are in Year 7 or in Year 11 – step out of your comfort zones and try something new, regardless of the outcome.

School camp brings mixed emotions for everyone; however, it is one of the most important bonding experiences that you will have with your year group. Being challenged at camp can really test both your physical and emotional strength, but it’s also very rewarding. It’s up to you to make it extraordinary. For me, one of the most memorable experiences was during the Year 10 camp white-water rafting activity. It started off with Immy and I peacefully floating down the river, waiting for the current to pick up. Very quickly however, we were pushed back and forth, side to side, onto rocks, and then eventually into the water. At the time, we found this a decidedly ‘ordinary’ experience – and somewhat painful – but we decided to persevere and give it another go. This resulted in us, maybe not being ‘extraordinary’ at it, but we definitely finished up better than when we started. And most importantly, it gave us a funny experience to laugh about together.

Just a few weeks ago, I was talking to Lily, who along with me, is your Touch Football Captain for 2020/2021. We were discussing the importance of creating friendships with other girls who are not in our year group. We came to the conclusion that in the context of being on a sporting field and being part of a team, it’s so important to work together, be kind, and help one another. From our experiences of playing Touch Football, we’ve learnt that you can be extraordinary together rather than ordinary apart.

So, I encourage you to take something you might be average at or something that you might think you’ll be ordinary at, give it your best, and turn it into something extraordinary – step outside of your comfort zone and immerse yourself into new and exciting experiences.

I can’t wait to see what this year brings for each and every one of you!

Charlie
Vice Captain 2020/2021

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