With 3 weeks already gone we rapidly approach the halfway point of 2025’s first academic term. However, it was not a wasted 3 weeks, with it seeing the College’s opening mass, the first actions of a new principal, and of course the swimming carnival.
After a single yet remarkably long rehearsal, and then an even longer wait outside the hall as the real mass began, year 12 and the new school leaders became the focal point of a magnificent ceremony, and a new experience for those who were used to such a ceremony being in the Cathedral. Despite the comedy of errors, from those oblivious to the seating plan to the eventual hijacking of the Mass by the Archbishop, the mass proved a good start to a new era of Eddies, with new students, new leaders, and a new principle all experiencing a new format to the traditional opening mass.
Following the mass I found myself speaking with the attending McKillop Captains, who reminded me of the relatively small scale of Eddies 900 students compared to there, and other schools, over 2000 students. This thought lingered in my mind for some time, eventually being resolved the following day at the swimming carnival.
As I witnessed every boy there have a crack at the various events, trying their best regardless of the result, and having pride in their house groups regardless of if their friends were in that house or not, I arrived at my resolution. The strength of Eddies comes not from numbers, but rather character, it is the quality of Eddies boys, more often than not, that makes up for the quantity.
Even though some boys weren’t good at swimming, volleyball, or tug of war, they still gave it a go, and even though not everyone could get a chant going at the diving board like Loii (the self proclaimed king of aura), most boys still gave it a crack with the rest of the school watching.
So for all those who might have missed out on the mass, or the swimming carnival, know that more opportunities are coming to engage with your peers and your community, know that everything you do, every opportunity you take, is a building block in your legacy in the Eddies community. Regardless of who you are, you have the ability to shape the community as much as any captain or peer does, it simply comes down to the more you put in the more you get out.
Lets keep up the pace this term, and strive make 2025 Eddies finest year yet.
Sean Clarke
College Vice-Captain