MUIR 2022
Muir this year has offered me many opportunities to grow as a person and experience once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. We have participated in archery, orienteering and snorkelling through this unit, both in and out of school.
Goals:
I set 2 goals for myself for this unit. 1 – To step out of my comfort zone and try new things and 2 – always approach things with a positive mindset.
1 – In order to properly experience the opportunities that Muir offers I have to be able and willing to step outside my comfort zone. Snorkelling wasn’t something that I haven’t properly experienced before. I often find swimming in deep water in the ocean a bit daunting, but I stepped out of my comfort zone and it was very fun.
2- When you don’t approach things with a positive mindset it can make what you are doing a more negative experience. Positive mindsets can help you enjoy activities that might not be your cup of tea. Archery which towards the end I began to find very repetitive, I struggled to keep a positive mindset, but when I did I found that I enjoyed that activity a lot more.
Rottnest:
Greeted with quokka’s upon entrance we knew this trip would be an unforgettable one. We spent the two days snorkelling, chatting, and participating In group activities. We were blessed to be able to explore beautiful snorkelling trails in the basin and parakeet bay. We started off the night with an amazing race where we had the freedom to explore the island while completing the race. The freedom we got to have on this trip was amazing, we had lots of downtimes to just enjoy the environment, chat with friends and kick the footy.
Day 1: After the hopped of the fairy we made our way to our first snorkelling spot. The trail we breathtaking and we even had the opportunity to swim through a little “cave” opening. Although we were able to go for the second time the climate proved to be too much and I was too cold. Next time I may invest in a better wetsuit so I wouldn’t be as cold.
Day 2: We made our way to the basin for our last snorkelling trip. The second day was a lot warmer and we were able to spend more time in the water. The trail again was spectacular and we were able to get some amazing photos.
Capabilities:
Collaborative: During this camp, we spent all the time surrounded by our friends. This means we had to work together and be there for each other. This meant doing simple things like helping each other get wet suits on or checking in on each other while we are snorkelling which also falls under effective communication. This ensured that the camp was enjoyable for everyone.
Organised: Organisation was a key part of this trip. We had to make sure that we packed our day bag well and ensured we had all our snorkelling gear in there. We also had to be organised with our tents and be productive when we packed it down.
Self-aware: Self-awareness was a key part when being on the island. We had to be aware of what we were doing to ensure that we were being kind to the environment and ourselves. We had to be aware of our own limits like me personally when I was to cold on the first day.
Leave no trace:
Leaving no trace was very key to protecting our environment, this refers to sustaining the environment for generations to come. Some ways we practised this was to:
- Emu bob: doing a quick walk-through of the place were staying at the collect any rubbish even if it wasn’t our own.
- Quokkas: To not pat the quokkas for their own safety and theirs
- Leave things in their place: This means not collecting things like shells and just leaving things in their natural environment as it can deeply affect the ecosystem.
Favourite memory:
Was the last day at the basin where we had a lot of free to time to hang with friends, chat and just enjoy the view. The weather was great and we were able to grow stronger bonds with each other, not to mention that the snorkelling trail at the basin was my favourite and we were able to have time to explore the ocean ourselves.
How I have grown as a person:
This unit for Muir was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I am so blessed to of experience. I was able to step outside my comfort zone and I really learned to approach all things with a positive mindset. Thankyou to all teachers who made this unforgettable experience happen 🙂