We have asked our new Year 7 Wellbeing Captains Alexis Bredow and Callum Massam to share some advice with the Year 7s who have joined us in 2018.
Alexis Bredow – Year 12
How long have you been at Swan?
I have been at Swan for 6 years. I joined Swan in Year 6.
What are your favourite subjects?
Media, History, Maths and Christian Living, which I have grown to enjoy more and more as the years have progressed.
What is your favourite activity outside of school?
Walking my poodle.
What can the Year 7s be looking forward to?
Throughout Middle and Senior School, you will learn a lot more about yourself and life than school books could ever teach you. My entire school experience beat all my expectations, just look forward to the wild and exciting ride that is high school.
Looking back, what are your best memories of Year 7?
I remember music was played at lunchtime which created a cool vibe. There were some fun class tasks too, like building ‘Wonders of the World’ and creating our own storybooks. I got to try out subjects I would never have picked on my own, such as Design & Technology, I got a C but at least I had fun.
My three pieces of advice to Year 7s
- Get involved in school activities and groups, it’s the first step of getting out there that’s the scariest.
- It’s only the faces of the older students that are scary, inside most of them are pretty great.
- Be nice to your teachers, they do have your best interests at heart.
Callum Massam – Year 12
How long have you been at Swan?
I have been a student at Swan Christian College since pre-primary in 2006, in fact, I was here when the College was formally known as Midland Christian School.
What are your favourite subjects?
At the moment, my favourite subjects are Physics and Economics as they can be applied to our everyday lives.
What is your favourite activity outside of school?
When I do have some quiet time, I like to go to the movies with my mates and going rock climbing.
What can the Year 7s be looking forward to?
As Year 7s, you guys have your whole lives ahead of you and despite what people might say, going from primary school to the Middle School is not that daunting. You will have the opportunity to join one of our fundraising and charity groups and you’ll be able to experience many camps with the rest of your year group. As you move through school, you will have the opportunity to apply for one of the amazing impact trips to the Philippines, Zambia, Cambodia and Outback Australia. If you are looking to do something closer to home, then you will be able to join the large number of sporting clubs that the College prides themselves on.
Looking back, what are your best memories of Year 7?
Some of my best memories came from the Year 7 camp, as this small camp allowed me to meet some of the new students to Swan. Some of the people I met at camp would become some of my best mates that I would be proud of.
My three pieces of advice to Year 7s
- Stretch out and make new friendships. They say if you make good long-lasting friends in Middle/Senior School, those people will become some of your best mates when you leave school in Year 12. Sure, it would be easy to stick with your old group of friends but as you grow up, your group might split up due to clashes of personal values. This is something that my old friendship group went through and by making new friends in Middle School I could secure long-lasting and true friendships.
- If you ever need help, always ask. Never be afraid to show that you are struggling with something because chances are someone else is having the exact same problems as you. If you don’t want to ask the question in front of the entire class, then go up to your teacher at the end of class and ask for a moment of their time and get them to explain how to overcome your problem. Also, remember there are no stupid or dumb questions when you are in class.
- During your upcoming years at Swan, I’m not going to lie, there will be tough and challenging times, but let me tell you, the reward and the feeling of achievement will increase each year. It might not seem like it now but in the end, it will all be worth it, so make it count. Make every moment count. Let me also tell you, you might think six more years of school will feel like an eternity, but in actual fact, time will fly in a blink of an eye.
