After a long and restful summer holiday, school has begun once again. Starting school, whether you are new or not, can be a tough transition from the mellow days of summer. Luckily, we had the grade trips to look forward to and to help ease us into the beginning of school.

Last week, we 11th graders embarked on our trip to Gotland. For everyone in the grade, whether or not they had been to Gotland before, this trip was full of great times.

As soon as we arrived in Gotland by boat, our journey quickly began with a GPS adventure around the old town of Visby. We explored the botanical gardens, the rocky landscape, and enjoyed the fresh air as we got a taste of the culture and life in Visby. After our GPS adventure, the whole grade cycled to Gustavsvik where our cabins and a barbecue dinner awaited.

Everyday there were new adventures and activities to participate in, such as beach-volleyball, swimming, cycling, and exploring. Aside from leisure activities, we also participated in workshops about CAS, the Extended Essay, and Theory of Knowledge which turned out to be both informative and fun.

Not only did we stay in Visby, but we also travelled to the north of Gotland and visited an island just off the shore called ‘Fårö’. Here we had a pitstop at a lookout point surrounded by astonishing rock formations where we all enjoyed the fresh air, the sea, as well as a bit of sun. Our next stop on Fårö was a beach which is said to be one of Sweden’s finest beaches. Here we could participate in beach volleyball, swimming, or simply enjoy the nature along with our ‘fika’.

Throughout the entire trip, all the students got to know each other much better as we were constantly moving around and interacting in different groups. I feel that for the entire grade, this has been a great bonding experience and has helped ease us all back into the rhythm of school. We learned and experienced new things, and enjoyed a great trip together.