As a part of our school educational trip, we went to a hill station; Mount Abu and my experience was truly amazing. It was a 6 day journey from 13th to 18th December, 2022. As hot and humid it was in the day, it was as cold and chilly in the night. The camp was an open space surrounded by nature, and we stayed in tents which was quite fun. 

Each day we did different activities like treks like the mowgli trek (7 km), golden horn chimney trek (11 km) and the sunrise trek, other than that we played lots of fun team building games to get to know each other and the volunteers better. We also tried rappelling and caving. The fact that we were not able to use our phones or other electronic devices was arguably one of the trip’s most unusual parts.

This trip catered the following LOs

LO 1 : Identify own strengths and develop areas for growth

Trekking was a challenging and rewarding experience. There were various skills that I learned and developed like management & control, also through the guidance of the volunteers, they informed us of various techniques and tips that made trekking a little easier for me. As a part of my weakness, I am not much into fitness hence I was exhausted more often and I struggled a lot, so I had to challenge and push myself past my comfort zone. I learned a lot of new things through trekking, including how to be physically strong. Even when I was exhausted, hungry, or thirsty, I had to force myself to keep going. I discovered how to pace myself and control my energy levels so that I could complete the trek.  

LO 2 : Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills in the process

I found something even more difficult during the trip which was caving. I am not a big fan of enclosed spaces as I feel claustrophobic and start panicking immediately. While doing caving we passed three huge caves which required us to move in a specific technique and have a strong grip and stamina in order to prevent any sort of physical damage. Even though we had volunteers on each step of the journey I was extremely scared and stressed while passing through the caves and one of them was completely dark, which made me even more nervous, but I coped up with the process and pushed through, and finally overcame my fear and completed the challenge.

LO 4 : Show commitment to and perseverance in CAS experiences

I showed commitment and perseverance by completing all the treks that were a part of our journey, we went on different treks and covered a lot of distance, which helped me learn the importance of physical strength and even though the treks were very tiring and exhausting, I did not give up and the breathtaking views at the end made the whole process completely worthwhile. In another caving activity, I was extremely terrified of passing through a cave as it was completely dark and closed. I felt panic but I tried to stay persistent and ultimately I was able to pass all the caves and also explore its uniqueness thoroughly.

I also developed several Learner profile attributes such as risk taker by approaching uncertainty with forethought and determination; working independently and cooperatively while exploring the place and trying to be resourceful and resilient in the face of challenges and change, and mainly not giving up. I also became more balanced as I understood the significance of balancing different aspects of our lives, especially physical; by keeping a healthy diet and taking care of my well being.

Overall, the trip to Mount Abu was truly a beautiful and unforgettable experience. With the help of these adventures, I was able to personally develop and grow in many ways. This trip gave me the opportunity to push myself out of my comfort zone and take up new challenges and also taught me to never give up. Apart from all these adventures I had great fun and created wonderful memories with my friends and teachers that I would never forget. From the camp to the adventurous treks to the breathtaking views, the experience was mesmerizing.

Evidence :-