The Sisterhood of Boarding

Without the aid of a forensic archivist, I am quietly confident that 2021 will go down in the historical records of Wilderness School as the year that had the greatest number of sisters residing together in our Boarding House. When the School gates opened this year, nine girls joined their older sisters in our boarding community. We always feel extremely privileged when a family entrusts the care of a child to us at this critical time in their development and feel even more blessed when their siblings follow. At Wilderness, we strongly believe that boarding is very much a shared experience for the entire family. It is fair to say that family life unravels somewhat when a family member leaves home to attend boarding school. Significant adjustments are demanded, not only from the child leaving but often from the younger sibling who remains at home. The sense of sisterhood and lifelong friendships that boarders experience is well documented, but what of the impact of sibling relationships when they share time in a boarding environment?

After a period of separation and adjusting to the shift in family dynamic, imagine the readjustment again required when your younger sister joins boarding life. While boarding together as sisters doesn’t entirely mirror their nuclear family life, having a sibling in the nearby corridor generally offers more advantages than disadvantages. Having spent three years apart and coming from Darwin, where visits home are rarer than for our regional SA boarders, Meredith Grice saw the opportunity of boarding with her older sister Annalise, as a chance for them to reconnect. Despite her age and the desire for support, she is also

conscious of giving her older sister space for her friends and personal study time. The Michael girls, Sophia and Isla really appreciate that they always have each other to turn to and feel mutually supportive in the Boarding House. Amelia Shepherd joined her sister Sophie this year. She has found the experience of having an older sister in the House to be positive and has enjoyed getting to know more of the senior boarders.

The expansion of friendship groups beyond their year levels has been a common theme for all the sisters. They found having a sibling in a different year level helped them to get to know girls better across the depth of our boarding community. Some admit to it not always being positive; like all sibling relationships, having a sister in the House can stir the occasional annoyance at the loss of privacy and anonymity. However, boarders in general share a unique bond. They defend each other at the slightest need. This collective shield has received an added layer of protection with the bond of these sisters.

The nuances and memories that are quintessential to boarding life are not only shared with their peers, but also with their sister. Together, we hope they keep these special and nostalgic memories for many years to come and look forward to seeing them grow and support each other along the way.

Rosie Broderick Head of Boarding