Just recently, years 7-11 returned from ski week, a week full of mountain views and fresh slopes. It’s a week to create new and incredible memories. From being zombies in the morning to speeding down the slopes in the afternoons and having entertaining evening activities, the students experienced this to the fullest. A lot of the year 10s enjoyed their week in Saas-Fee/Saas-Grund, while the year 11s spent a wonderful time in Gstaad. However, we can’t say the same for the year 8s, who had to endure a painful ski week that was cut short. But overall, the year groups had an amazing time skiing or snowboarding down the mountain.

In high school, unfortunately, only year 10 gets to go on a full week of skiing, and year 11 goes on only a 3-day-long ski trip to enjoy the end of the school week and get away from it after having spent hours working on their personal projects. While away, everyone had huge amounts of fun, and as the year 10 and year 11 students say, the 2026 ski trip was definitely one to remember. Snow conditions played a big role in making the experience as enjoyable as ever. The fresh, powdery snow brought adventure and excitement to the days midway through trips, especially for those already confident on the slopes. Others appreciated the time they got to spend with their friends while ice skating or sledging; there were numerous activities the students experienced that “brought them all together”. The activities helped unite people across different ski groups/snowboard groups or ski levels that otherwise wouldn’t have gotten time to be with their friends while still getting to meet new ones. 

But skiing or snowboarding is not all safe and fun, and it does not come without its risks. In both year groups, a noticeable number of students experienced minor injuries after skiing or snowboarding slightly too fast or attempting difficult slopes. There were around six people in year 10 and three people in year 11 with reported injuries that were severe enough to be sent home; this is more than it has ever been before. Are the students becoming more reckless? Is the snow becoming worse? Or were the slopes simply more challenging this year? Whatever the reason, a lot of the instructors reminded students that pacing themselves and being aware of their surroundings is just as important, if not more, than improving their skills, but speeding is just too much fun. But we have to agree that slowing down and maybe just enjoying the scenery is evidently better than going home due to an injury.

On a different note, a topic that interests many, including the teachers, is how many people actually bring their phones on trips. The answer is quite a few brought their phones, but from the information gathered, this is not a bad thing. People who brought their phones did it to contact their parents, say that everything is good, and capture memories since not all have digital camera to bring. They didn’t disconnect from reality and spent their days scrolling, but instead continued talking with their friends in the room, playing games, or going down to the common room. All of the people who were asked said that the interaction and fun in the rooms didn’t decrease because of phone usage, and no one felt left out. Several students reported that having their phones made them feel “safer” knowing they could easily contact their families in case of an emergency. This suggests that, as long as it is responsible phone use, they can actually support the experience during school trips rather than distract from it. 

Something that doesn’t directly affect high school but is worth mentioning for being a very rare event is the year 8 trip being cancelled right in the middle of the week. A few might have heard from younger siblings, parents, or friends that all of year 8 had to go home in the early hours of Thursday. The entire group returned home after a fast-spreading illness affected a large number of students. What began with just one person quickly spread, knocking out more than half the group, making them too unwell to continue snowboarding and skiing. Stomach aches, vomiting, and sleepless nights made this trip memorable in the worst way possible. While it is disappointing for the Year 8 students, the decision allowed everyone to quickly recover.

Coming back from trips and going back home is always sad and makes you miss the free and fun time you get to spend with your friends, while doing activities you wouldn’t normally do. These trips were once again filled with joy, friends,s and excitement, as well as a little bit of drama needed to bring new or old friends together. This year’s trips, except for the year 8 trip, have ended amazingly, and numerous students are looking forward to next trips and the new adventures they will bring, as well as the new friendships they might create.