A boarding A boarding - Epsom College

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF ANEpsom College boarderRachel Soobiah is a 13 year old M4(Year 9) pupil in Wilson House. Shewas born in Gibraltar and has lived inSpain all her life. Before joining Epsom thisyear, she commuted across the border intoGibraltar every morning for school.“My parentsboth worked there and my two sistersboth went to school there too.There is onlyone secondary school in Gibraltar and thefacilities are not very good,” she said.Rachel’s father is an Old Epsomian andwas in Propert House from 1974 to 1979.“My father told me how special the Collegewas to him and he has fond memoriesof CCF expeditions, Founder’s Days andPrefects’ House suppers. Saturday eveningswere particularly memorable for him.Therewas a cinema club in Big School and twoboys from Crawfurd or Wilson would managea projector with large cinema reels andshow a film after supper on a large screenmounted above the stage. On Saturdaynights, everyone took a cushion with themfrom their Houses to supper, leaving themoutside the cafeteria in a big pile.These werethen taken to sit on in Big School during thefilm that would run for two hours or more.Apparently, James Bond films and anythingwith Clint Eastwood were great favourites.Entering senior school canbe daunting. For boarders,who may be away fromhome for the first time, it canbe even more challenging.The Link spent a day withan M4 full boarder to findout what life is really like“It was my father’s suggestion that I boardat Epsom because of the fantastic time hehad himself, but I have always loved sportand one of the main reasons I came herewas because of the huge range of sportsavailable,” Rachel said.Rachel’s grandfather and aunt live nearbyin Wimbledon. “I suppose if I had reallywanted to, I could have been a weeklyboarder but it seemed like an awful effortto pack up my things each week and makethe journey there just for one night,”she said.Rachel goes home to Spain everyholiday, excluding exeats. Her auntgives her a lift to and from theairport. The actual journey takes around 2hours 30 minutes by plane but she usuallyspends a night at her grandfather’s to catchup with her English family first.“I like being a boarder in Wilson becauseit is well situated and is very family-orientated.Our Housemistress – Kirsty Tod – andall the Tutors are very friendly and there’salways someone willing to lend a helpinghand if you need anything. I also love thelayout of the House as it’s very spacious, butalmost impossible to get lost,” Rachel said.Below, Rachel describes a typical Tuesdayfor a full boarding M4 girl:6.30am: Waking upI am always the first in the House to get up as Iam awake half an hour before the first bell goesat 7.00am. I like to be the first in the shower andtake forever to get ready! I leave my room andhead over to the Dining Hall for breakfast at7.30am with all the other Wilson M4s. There isalways a hot option, cereal or toast.8.20: Roll in HouseAt 8.15 one of the M4s rings the bell for roll call.It’s taken by the duty Prefect who calls ournames whilst we sit on furry Zebra beanbags,chairs or even the floor in the Wilson4 The LINK Lent 2013