Today is going to be one of the most memorable days in my life. Today was my final day of school at Haileybury. I arrived at school early, around 7:30 am and took a good look around, and to hand out some of the gifts that I bought for the teachers. Today however was the first day where I didn’t go strait to the hall. I went to my locker, then to the common room, then I went for a wander around other areas of the school.
I was talking with Hanna Gordon about the significance of the day and she said that she even still looks back on her last day of school with all her friends.
After this i headed off to the Year 12 breakfast to get my shirt signed by the class. there wasn’t really that much eating going on, it was more shirt signing.
The final house assembly was defiantly an emotional moment for allot of the people and I will admit I did shed a tear, but Mav’ was probably finding it the hardest to keep it together which i really think says something for our class, and for almost any class. You would think that a teacher that has been at Haileybury as long as he has, a graduation would mean noting to them, but it obviously still does and it shows that a year level such as ours can make an impact on someone life and after the time and effort that they have put in to building up a students skills, to prepare them for later life there is going to be emotional to see it come to the end.
The final assembly was also a first for me. It was the first assembly in just under three years that I have sat in the audience with the rest of my year group and it was also the first assembly that I didn’t do anything to set up. The moment cam where the class of 07 was to hand back the “colour” so we made our way down from the balcony to pass the flag around the hall. I remember when I was in year 10, i thought this whole thing was “kinda cheesy” but when your in year 12 you do appreciate all this kind of stuff.
After the assembly it was off to the final chapel where we sang Jerusalem for the last time as Haileybury students. The next time we would sing it would be when we were Old Haileyburians. The Rev told his awesome jokes and then it was off to a rehearsal for the Graduation ceremony. I hadn’t even graduated yet and my replacements were already dropping stuff from the roof very close to my head! But the hall once again proved that “the hall doesn’t ever kill anyone”. It just putts them in danger.
The actual graduation ceremony was rather surreal. It was hard to believe that 14 years of schooling was coming to an end. The time came for the students who have “know no other school but Haileybury”, My name was called out and i was presented with my bible, my certificate, a tie and a 2007 badge and it was over.
I never would have thought that it was possible to end today with a feeling of satisfaction but tonight’s Valedictory Dinner proved me wrong. It was one of the best nights I’ve had, it’s up there with Matt Kennedy’s birthday party! The evening was fantastic and the staff band was brilliant. I was able to grab photos with almost everyone who was a part of my schooling life, however a few went home early. I was also able to get a photo with those who were in Kindergarten with me. I would not have changed a thing about tonight.
It is a strange thing to be at the one school for so long and for it to come to an end. Back in Junior school I found it easier to picture the sun exploding than me finishing school. There aren’t many people who can say that they have been a student at Haileybury for 14 or 15 years and I fell lucky to be one of them. I have seen so many people start at Haileybury and then seen them leave a few years later. I’ve only ever had one first day at a new school and I am glad I finished at that same one. I still remember my first day, being shown around the classroom, seeing where all the toys were and being shown which one was my locker. I had the one with the picture of the grapes on it. Chances are that if you were in Kindergarten at Haileybury you will remember which locker was yours. I know the guys who were in kinda with me can remember theirs.
I’ve done allot at Haileybury and I would never do anything differently. The next step it the exams. I don’t really want to think about them but there isn’t much chance of that happening. They start in a weeks time with english and they are all over for me by the 7th of november.