the wellington college year book 2010/2011
the apsley
You could say Apsley girls are at a
disadvantage from the moment we
arrive at Wellington; we have three
less sports days, three less Kingsleys,
three less chances to Be the Duke.
None of us could pinpoint our best
moments as Apslians, although being the
first girls’ House to win the House Singing
Competition comes close, as would any time
we’ve won interhouse sport—swimming,
lacrosse or hockey, any time one of us has
won a music prize or any time an Apslian’s
won an essay competition.
We’ve had incredible House trips, House
dinners and House events, from ‘Wicked’ to
raising thousands of pounds for charity in our
Cabaret evenings. Those events may all be
evidence of our collective success, or our
shared celebrations of an individual Apslian’s
success, but our best moments aren’t
measured in how we’ve excelled. Our best
moments are measured in the times we’ve
stood together in Chapel, belting I Vow To
Thee as loud as any other house; the times
we’ve walked from Chapel to Front Quad
leading the way carrying our cerulean and
pineapple flag on Remembrance Sunday as
proudly as any other house with a 150-yearold legacy; the times we’ve marched up
together on Speech Day to give our Master’s
ticks; the times at breakfast when everyone
should be sleepwalking from just waking up,
but we’re laughing and yelling while eating our
(daily-delivered) croissants; the tea parties
and barbecues in summer, the times spent
screaming over Gossip Girl and crying in the
Royal Wedding or running to Queen’s Court
in torrential rain, have bonded us.
We might have been three years behind
everyone else, but we’re as united a House as
if we’d been here all along and we’re as good
friends as if we’d known each other all our lives.
Excellence is not an act but a habit, and it’s
an Apslian’s habit to be a good friend, to work
hard, to play hard and with fortune favouring
the brave, to be brave, making the most of
every minute of our two years here.
Most of us liked our old schools, but
none of us knew we could love a school;
we’ve never forgotten how lucky we were to
become Apslians and prove ourselves true
Wellingtonians.
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