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Frimley Park

Frimley was the not only the hardest part of my summer, but also the best. It’ll quickly show you what you’re made of and what you can endure, from 4am log runs to volleyball tournaments, Frimley certainly has it all. Perhaps this isn’t sounding so inviting, but what makes Frimley what it is, the amazing place I walked away from at the end of my course with a smile on my face, is the people. Not only to do you meet amazing people, but, without exception, all of them will go out of their way to help you and motivate you when you feel you can’t go on; even the guy in charge of stores, who I’d briefly glanced at once, let me squeeze his hand till sore when I had the misfortune of getting Tabasco sauce in my eye.

The course starts by getting everyone up to the same standard. Much needed as some, like me, had only been in for a year and a half to some people’s 5 years or so. Once they’ve taught everyone the basics they then put it all in practice; from trying to find survivors in a real crashed plane to hiding and running from around 100 army people, stalking the roads in Land Rovers. Yes it was hard, yes I was so tired I could hardly speak, but yes I had a good time, and at least there were sausages at the end to enjoy!

The experiences and the people are not the only thing you take away from Frimley. It teaches things you would never expect, like how having a nap for 5 minutes whenever you can really does help keep you on top, and how, to be a good leader, you have to be able to follow first without taking charge. I expected it to be a nightmare trying to make decisions in a group of 10 people with strong leadership skills, yet it was the easiest thing I’ve ever done, that really does show what good leaders they all were.

There was one particular thing I personally took away, it seems simple now that I write it down to you who weren’t there, but it meant a lot to me. It was just after I pulled the muscle in my back, at the time I didn’t know what had happened, just that it really hurt. We were on a exercise that involved lots of walking with heavy packs, not ideal when I got to the point where I could hardly walk, let along carry 15kg of kit. My team realised this, and without asking me or acting as if I were a burden, or in fact, as if it were anything from the normal, they picked up my pack and carried it for 4 miles until we could get to some doctors. Pretty amazing seeing as they must have been just as tired as me and were now carrying twice the load at times. All they wanted was for me to rest it so it could get better and we could carry on as a team...talk about pure of heart! Like I said, simple, perhaps even uninteresting to you, but it meant a lot to me and truly showed me what type of people I now knew.

So, if you are prepared to push yourself to the limit for an experience that is certainly 1 in a million, go on Frimley. Even if you don’t feel you’re good enough (I certainly didn’t) you can still do it as long as you’re determined. Take a chance, take yourself to an unknown place with new people and just give it a go. Do your best and that will be good enough.

Saskia James

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