2018 Head Boy - Caleb LivingstoneOne by one, 15 tired, stressed, but happy students stumble into the cafe.

Joining them is their teacher, mentor and friend who is also tired and stressed. Immediately however, conversation was struck up and a whole hour was whiled away over breakfast.

This was the last proper meeting of the Ashburton College Student Exec for this year.

2018 has been a rollercoaster of a year, with seemingly more ups than downs and I personally attribute my amazing experience of this year to the 2018 Year 13 class, a year group which has become like a massive family to one another.

For me personally, I have found that within this year’s Year 13 class, there is a general feel that anyone can talk to anyone, there is always support if it’s needed and there is a motivated feeling of “let’s do this”.

At the beginning of the school year, I was finishing up on a two and a half month cultural exchange in Germany.

My peers had already completed two weeks of school by the time I returned and, to be honest with you, I was bloody nervous.

How was I supposed to step up and be a senior leader in school, when I had not even been in the country for 10 weeks?

My fears however, were put to rest the second I stepped foot on school grounds as I walked back into a group of mates who were happy, supportive and ready to tackle the year.

Now, with only three days of school left, it’s clear to see that this year’s leavers group have truly made 2018 one to remember.

A massive shoutout must be given to this year’s house captains and house execs, on whose shoulders the entire house competition stands.

Striving to win the House Cup is an essential part of of Ashburton College life, a part which creates lasting memories and develops leadership and teamwork skills.

The house leadership teams have invested so many hours into making this year memorable and enjoyable and that is exactly what they set out to do.

The other team of troopers which must also be mentioned is that group of 15 tired and stressed students I mentioned at the start; the student executive.

From dreaming up amazing initiatives such as shared morning tea, to organising an extremely successful quizco, from running various social media outlets, to making the Ashburton College Ball the amazing night it was, this year’s Student Executive have invested hundreds of volunteer hours into the students of Ashburton College.

Every 8am meeting on a Tuesday has had an atmosphere of motivation and enthusiasm and that, for me personally, has been a massive privilege to experience.

Finally, I have to mention the year group as a whole, the class of 2018, who have managed to survive five long years together.

Everyone will have their own memories and things they remember from their time at Ashburton College, but I personally will remember the what a cracker of a year it has been with this group of highly motivated, supportive and fun loving Year 13s.

Cheers guys!

By Caleb Livingstone © The Ashburton Guardian - 28 October 2018