You Get What You Get

I see this play out again and again: a student who desperately wants to go to scuba-diving camp with their friends ends up rock-climbing instead. I meet with them, sometimes alongside their parents, to talk it through. They arrive at the bus bay, disappointed, nervous, 'Who will I talk to?'

A few days later they are thriving. New friendships, a new confidence and a quiet, 'I’m glad I ended up here.'

As a teacher who has spent years planning camps and outdoor education programs, I’ve learned something important: the most powerful learning can happen when things don’t unfold exactly as expected. The story above isn’t unusual, it’s a pattern. At Woodleigh, our ballot system for camps and activities — a fair preference‑allocation process — can feel uncomfortable, particularly for students who don’t receive their first choice. The instinct is to fix the disappointment, but the system reflects a bigger belief we hold at Woodleigh: that real growth often lives in the unknown. 

Students arrive on camp with expectations — about the activity, about the group and about themselves. And then the sky changes. Plans are upended or group dynamics test them — and they learn to respond rather than retreat. These turning points aren’t accidental (except for the weather, we can’t control that); they’re the result of carefully designed experiences that encourage students to adapt, reflect and engage with something unfamiliar. They learn that others are scared too, that we can all do hard things and rely on and support others in the process. They come to know resilience not as a concept but as a lived experience and young people come home a little taller — socially, emotionally and physically. 

Hattah is a great example of this. In Year 10 students are pushed to their limits as they head to the desert. They nominate a few people they would like to be with, but ultimately, groups are formed with careful consideration as to who will work well together — in this context. Often, they do work well, but there are plenty of ups and downs along the way. Students have to rely on people they don’t usually engage with. They need to negotiate, communicate and show kindness and patience, even when they are hungry, tired and frustrated. Those who lean into this discomfort consistently demonstrate remarkable growth. 

This growth reaches beyond camps and school and into life. Woodleigh encourages students to sit with uncertainty, ask questions and make meaning for themselves. In many ways, the ballot system mirrors life. We don’t always get our first choice, but we can always choose how we show up. What matters most is not which camp they go on, but how they engage with the experience. When students approach something unfamiliar with openness, they build confidence, adaptability and a sense of agency, all qualities that support academic success and, just as importantly, their wellbeing. 

For families, it can be tempting to want certainty and control, especially when it comes to our children. But one of the gifts of a Woodleigh education is learning that not knowing exactly what lies ahead can be a strength. When students learn to make the most of what they’re given, they carry that skill beyond school and into their lives. 
 

In the end, it’s not really the camp itself that lasts, it’s the story they take home with them that endures. If I think of those bus-bay moments, different camps, different cohorts, but the same pattern: apprehension, then engagement — and in the end, a huge sense of pride that comes from confronting the hard thing. Most will go home glad they ended up exactly where they did. 

Read Woodleigh's Camps Publication, Going Places.