Prefect Perspective

Hi everyone, my name is Tony and I am this year’s Adventure Prefect. I want to share with you how I’ve become an adventurous person. 

I would not have called myself an adventurous person before I came to Albert College. I’m from Beijing; it’s a very urbanized city, and it’s hard to see any wild animals there. When I arrived at Albert, the first thing I experienced was Camp Tamakwa. Camp that year wasn’t great because of the pouring rain, but it let me experience a part of Canadian culture. It was also my first time having hot chocolate! I didn’t enjoy my time at camp that year because of the rain and cold, and I was also worried that camp might become quite repetitive in the following years. However, I chose to attend the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh hiking trip not too long after Camp Tamakwa.  

The reason I went there was because of the endorsement by Ms. Paul. She was very energetic about those trips, and I couldn’t really say no to her enthusiasm. During that hiking trip, it rained again! So, it actually wasn’t a great experience either, and I also fell into the river. Needless to say, it took a few trips for me to begin to enjoy the outdoors.  

The first time I really enjoyed an adventure trip was in Grade 10 at Camp Tamakwa. The weather was beautiful. I did water sports, ball hockey, basketball. It was so fun, and I started to be more involved in adventure trips. In Grade 10, I also participated in the Silver Duke of Edinburgh trip. It was a five-day and four-night winter trip. Even though it was very cold, around -20 degrees, I had a lot of fun with my friends. I also started to enjoy camp food. 

In Grade 11, I went on the Gold Duke of Edinburgh trip. It was a seven-day and six-night sailing trip that encompassed many kilometres and three Great Lakes. Even though I discovered that I had seasickness and was sick a few times, I enjoyed the trip immensely. I met many new friends and felt accomplished by completing all the sailing requirements.  

These adventure trips have made me a better person. I’ve overcome many challenges to become who I am today, and people now see me as an adventurous person. Four years ago, I never thought I would have been chosen as the Adventure Prefect. I am grateful to Ms. Paul, who is always energetic about adventure trips, and always telling us how great they are. Without these opportunities, I would not be who I am today.