The final Last Word

By Simi Puni | Posted: Wednesday November 1, 2023

Well, this is it.

For Year 11s and 12s, today is your last official day of the 2023 school year, and for us Year 13s, this is the day that we walk out that archway and officially become classified as ‘old boys’. For most of us, five years being a part of this school is about to come to an end.

This past week has acted as a time for us to say goodbye and think about our time here. To me this school has changed from a place that I was scared to come to, to a place that I no longer feel like leaving. I’ve made memories I won’t forget; learned things I wouldn’t have learned anywhere else and met strangers who over the years have become like my brothers. I remember reading somewhere about how weird school is, how for the majority of the time we feel like we would rather be anywhere else than here. But now being in this auditorium, with a few minutes until the end of our schooling, a part of me doesn’t want to leave.

I think it's the little things and ordinary experiences that have caused me to become attached to the school, such as random touch games at lunch, conversations with people that I talked to the day before and jamming in the auditorium or music room. These events are personal to me and for everyone else it’s probably different. I’m sure we’ve all had those little ordinary moments that have connected us to each other and to the school.

Reflecting on this though, I believe that there are also moments here at school that we boys share that create the “brotherhood” that we all value. For example, the Hoops Army which, as Mr Hall said yesterday, has been mean this year, with boys from all year groups coming together to support their mates playing in different sports. Shave for a Cure is another highlight and we should be proud to have raised almost $15,000 for leukaemia and blood cancer awareness and research. All these moments connect us, and it saddens me to realise that we’ll no longer have moments like these at this school. So, to the Year 11’s and 12’s who are lucky enough to still have some time left here, I ask you to remember that your experience is completely what you make it, and over before you know it. So, take some time next year to treasure the moments and experiences that you have with your mates and try something new! Make the most of the remaining time you have here because, and I know you’ll hear this a lot, you’ll be where we Year 13’s are in no time.

Finally, to the Year 13’s, I really am grateful for the time I’ve been able to spend growing with you all. Through the ups, downs, successes, and failures it’s been a pleasure. For some of us, our exams will be the final time that we’ll ever see each other and this has made me recall the many memories we’ve made over the years. Whether it was our time at the Mt Aspiring lodge in Year 10, our controversial formal this year, our friendly hostel vs day boys league match or the classes that we’ve been in since we came to this school, it’s been an honour. These experiences we’ve shared show our growth from strangers to brothers. I look forward to exchanging stories in years to come.

As we go our separate ways next year, I want to wish you all good luck with everything you have planned and hopefully we’ll catch up later.

“Shall memory rise and call to mind the days have long and sped, as the years go rolling by.”

Thanks boys.