Student Stories
Boarders at Scots College live comfortably and securely in a structured environment that is warm and friendly and with good academic support.
Hear what some of our current boarders have to say about life in Gibb House.
"I'm from Bangkok, Thailand. On my first day, I remember walking into the Main Gibb boarding house with all the Year 13s waiting in the front. Later, one gap tutor helped me to get my school uniform for the first time and led me to my room in the boarding house. Boarding is a family, and everyone knows each other well, and you know them deeper than if they were just friends in school"
– Krittrin (Lotte) Choomchuay, Year 10
"On my first day at Scots, I was very excited and nervous as it was my first time experiencing boarding. I feel thankful to Mr Bertram and the seniors in the boarding house who helped me settle down with the daily routines. The people in boarding were very kind to me and understood that I was new to these places, both Gibb House and New Zealand. At first, I definitely felt lonely and homesick, but with the help from my friends in boarding, I could tackle those feelings and be able to enjoy life at school."
– Pathitta Sudprasert, Year 11
"On my first day in boarding, I remember meeting the prefects and staff members at the front of Gibb House. They were all smiling at me as I was walking into boarding and it made me feel so welcomed, which made some of my nerves go."
– Alamay Tohiariki, Year 12
"When I first arrived at Gibb House I was introduced to the phrase 'He Waka Eke Noa', which translates to 'We're all in this together.' This saying is the foundation of what Gibb House is all about, and over time I have realised the sense of community that is present within boarding. Everyone is willing to uplift one another and are the first to congratulate each other when personal achievements have been made."
– Raphael Conway, Year 12
“From the day I came here I felt very comfortable and part of a big family. Especially as one of the first girls to ever board, I was very fortunate to end up in such a caring environment as I did. I know that the situation with girls was new to everyone, so I appreciate even more how you always tried to fulfil our wishes, involved us in decisions and responded to us. I couldn’t have been happier here, you have made my time the best of my life. I wish you all the best and the future boarders (especially girls) are really lucky with the team here.”
– Sophia Naraghi Bagherpour, Year 12
“In my life in the boarding house I have come to find one word that rules supreme and is an essential part of what it is all about, and that is ‘brotherhood’. When I first started as a year nine boarder I was one of three first ever seven day boarders, this was a mind blowing experience for me because I had never left the warmth of my friendly bed for at longest three weeks. I was going in to 5 years of seven day boarding I was worried, but the funny thing is I am in my fourth year and absolutely love it and the atmosphere is what makes it all, it is by far the easiest way to be a pupil at Scots College.”
– Christen Kruger, Year 12
“For me boarding has been a completely new experience; coming from Marlborough all of the way from Blenheim up to Wellington. Every thing was new. The whole routine of getting up at 7:15 in the morning, having breakfast at 7:30 and so on was quite daunting. I didn’t know anyone here in the boarding house when I arrived but I soon established friends and got to know the routines. It’s been a lot of fun being a seven day boarder with all of the outdoor activities you get to do with your mates in the weekend. Activities like going to the beach or going into town or to watching rugby or soccer at the Stadium or hitting golf balls or exploring Wellington on occasions. The best thing of all is that the boarding house is like one big family where everyone supports each other”..
– Nicholas Healy, Year 9
Some of our past boarders recall fond memories of their time in Gibb House
“It is only now that my time in Gibb House has come to an end that I realize how much boarding has done for me and everyone else who has been involved in it. Gibb House provides an opportunity for all the boys to succeed well academically and to branch out in other aspects of the school, whether it is cultural or sports related. But that is not the biggest thing. I have been in other boarding environments before but the thing that is different with Gibb House is the tight community that has evolved and as cheesy as it sounds the feeling that we are a big family.”
– Scott Thomson, Head of Gibb House 2008
“Gibb House opened its doors to me in 2003, at a time when I was just a young, innocent Year 10 and a world of uncertainty awaited me. Excited at the idea of boarding, come the first night it was a different story! I was scared and nervous. ‘What have I got myself into?’ I thought, and questioning how my parents could ever do this to me! However, it was not long before I began to find my feet, finding myself at home in Gibb House and I realised boarding was one of the greatest decisions my parents would make for me.”
– Chris Welch, Head of Gibb House 2006
“I would like to thank the boys. It is you who make Gibb the great place it is. For everything you have done I thank you, you should all be proud to be members of this small group within the school community. Long may the positive, encouraging and homely Gibb House family continue, each of you taking the positive things you have gained here with you into the future.”
– Caleb Newman-Dennis, Head of Gibb House 2005
“I believe that boarding brings out special qualities in people, perhaps sometimes positive and sometimes negative but generally I have been impressed by the way the senior students have worked along side the younger students guiding them and encouraging independence. It is certainly a challenge living together as a group. The skills of tolerance and getting along with each other are most important to have to cope with life as an adult.”
– Jay Bang, Head of Gibb House 2004
“Being a boarder you have an advantage over other people your age. You have learnt to live with other people, which means respecting them for who they are. Day boys return to the comfort of their own home every day, whilst you return to the challenges of learning to live with others. Boarding can also teach you some good work ethics.”
– Brian Walters, Head of Gibb House 2003