New Beginnings 1

Marketing material for our school will tell you that Brentwood “One of Canada’s best boarding schools, is a friendly and welcoming environment, where students choose to be. Brentwood's oceanfront campus has an international reputation that matches its educational profile as one of the world's leading boarding schools. Brentwood's unique tripartite program puts academics at the core of a challenging curriculum, while creating extensive opportunities to participate in athletics and arts.” That’s what is says on our website, but do students at Brentwood feel the same way? Students at Brentwood come from extremely different backgrounds. Transitioning into Brentwood can be quite difficult, a rollercoaster of emotions, and maybe even the Achilles’ heel for some: “I felt blinded by the engagement and involvement during Orientation week, Fun & Games, and all the other activities. New students, including myself, are … thousands of kilometers away from home, and are probably living without their parents for the first time” reflected Matthew M, Ellis ‘19. Brentwood’s challenging tripartite system, however, can engage us and help us forget from the challeneges that we may encounter while living in a boarding school.  According to Omkar V, Ellis ‘19, “I love the fact that being part of the Brentwood community keeps me busy. If I’m not in any of my academic classes, I’m in pottery, or at sport, or even doing homework. Sure, I have free time to spend with my friends, however, there’s never a time throughout the day where I just sit down and wish I was somewhere else.” It can be argued that some international students have a hard time settling into the Brentwood community. However, by keeping yourself busy and engaging in the Brentwood experience, the opportunity to meet dozens of new students and enjoy the activities Brentwood has to offer will surge. And to top off your Brentwood experience, there are not only hundreds of students going through the same transition, but there are even more students who are willing to help including House Captains, Prefects, staff, amongst many others, who will guide you through this process. And once the transitioning phase is over, students will forge strong bonds with other students and staff all around campus; they will create friendships that will last a lifetime. Sebastian M, Ellis ‘19