When I first left for Wandering Spirit, I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect. I thought it would just be a normal retreat with a few boring workshops and a super long hike. But once we got there, it turned out to be something completely different — something that made me stop and think about who I am, and taught me how to truly relax.

I loved that we had nine days without phones, because it meant we could really get to know our House. Wandering Spirit brought me so much closer to my peers, and that’s something I’m really grateful for. It’s rare to have that kind of space where you can just be yourself without worrying about how you look or what you’re supposed to say.

The last night was my favourite — full of hugs, tears, as we honoured our new and old connections. It reminded me that everyone’s on their own journey, with their own struggles and stories. It made me appreciate how much we’ve all grown, and how much more we’ll grow if we keep showing up for each other with kindness and respect.

If I could give one piece of advice to next year’s group, it would be this: go in with an open mind. Don’t hold back, don’t worry about what others think — just be present. Because the more you put into it, the more you’ll get out of it

We had so much fun spending time together as a House and everyone came back with new friends and connections. It has been pretty hard for me to narrow down my favourite part of the retreat, as we did so many activities and it's hard not to spoil everything for all the younger years. Overall, I really loved my time on Wandering Spirit, from the first day, where we weren’t really sure what we were going into, to the last day where we were crying because we had to leave.

Each day on Wandering Spirit we were given a theme of the day. They ranged from identity, and self-care to boundaries and mindset. They inspired the workshops and activities that we did on the day. One of the themes was 'Challenge', and on that day was the hike. It was definitely a challenge, but one that paid off because it taught us that although things can get tough at times, if we have the right tools and resources we can overcome them. My personal favourite theme was 'Self Care Sunday', which was the halfway point of the retreat. We got to sleep in, have pancakes for breakfast and moved
from the chalets to the dorms or vice versa. It was a great chance to reset after four busy days and get ready for the next four days.

When De Grey first arrived home from Wandering Spirit, the emotions ran high. We all desperately begged them to tell us what happened, but the answer was always the same - "you'll find out when you get there"! After three terms of patiently waiting, the Gascoyne House found out. We stepped off the bus and into our new life for the next nine days. A typical day in the life of a Wandering Spirit girl would go like this - we wake to the sound of outside birds (or our roommates going to the bathroom) followed by our choice of morning activity, such as yoga, a run or a walk. After refuelling with a nutritious buffet breakfast, we would then move into a day filled with a range of activities. One of my personal favourites was when we had a chance to connect with others on a walk around the cascades, a scenic route on the edge of a waterfall. Following this, we had lunch (wraps and sandwiches) before launching into the next activity. Free time at the end was a time of independence - just friends and a bowl of two-minute noodles in the chalets. Each night, a different chalet group would cook dinner, and it was always a thrill to see who you were seated next to, and what the surprise dinner was. While one of the dorms would show off their dance moves singing to Mamma Mia while cleaning up, the rest of us would head to the nest and participate in a range of activities, from painting to Monopoly to volleyball. Some nights, we had an activity to wear us out before bedtime - including a highly competitive games night (where we also got to see the instructors in some hilarious outfits!) We would then head to the chalets - where there would still be another five hours of activity before everyone finally wound down. When we arrived back at Perth, we had finally experienced what we had been waiting for since the first Houses came back. Wandering Spirit was journey that we would never forget.

My Wondering Spirit journey started from the moment I heard about the retreat. I was terrified as I did not want to leave my family for nine days and go spend, what I was yet to find out, a wonderful and life-changing time down at the Yeagarup campus. As someone who is the typical person to be scared until they really figure out what the opportunity holds, I told myself to be optimistic and try to enjoy the days I had ahead of me, little did I know that stepping onto that bus I was about to enter a time full of lasting memories that I would cherish for so long to come.

Down at the Yeagarup campus, the many activities spread across the days allowed me to explore a different part of myself that I hadn't yet done before. Some my favourite workshops included the identity, maturity and goal setting. I learned so many valuable lessons and information that I know I will use for years to come. I think what I cherish the most about the Wandering Spirit program was the time spent with my friends. Every spare minute we were either playing a card game, hanging around in the nest, or just relaxing together in our chalet or dorm. Meeting so many new girls on this trip truly showed me how much depth we have in our year group and the different personalities and interests each girl has.

My advice to the younger girls going on Wandering Spirit in the upcoming years is to enjoy it from the beginning. Each activity is another opportunity to get to know new people, find common interests, and laugh until your tummy hurts. Take on every day with a positive attitude and be grateful for everything you are given. Something special that I learned from Wandering Spirit was to live in the moment. A true skill that has really taught me to be grateful and appreciate everything I have in my life right now. Continuously being told to “trust the process” we often got frustrated but didn't realise how essential this “living in the moment” thing would be. Taking in everything we saw made us all the more emotional when it was time to leave. I truly said to myself at the start of the retreat that I could not wait to go home little did I know when it got to the Thursday and we were getting on the bus I had never been more upset to leave somewhere in my life. Wandering Spirit has truly been a highlight of my time at St Hilda’s and I loved all the new memories and experiences this monumental retreat had to offer.