Abingdonian 2020

61 www.abingdon.org.uk Summer Term diffusing stress and always being up for a laugh. Thank you. The prefect team, you have been brilliant at leading the school; organising the lunch queues and trying to stop the Lower and Middle School boys from walking along the path in the Art garden. And to Lloyd Langley and Peter Mason for doing many, many tours. And now to my peers. Thank you to each and every one of you. It has been such a privilege and a joy to be a part of this year. I think we are a most remarkable year group. It isn’t an exaggeration to speak in superlatives. I surprise myself at my depth of feeling for our year, but believe me when I say that I feel lucky and that I have been bettered by being part of this year. I wish you all the most thrilling futures and I know I’ll see you all soon. Louis Renouf, 7MAS Good morning, good afternoon or perhaps even good evening for some… If this be the last time I get the chance then I must come full circle with a farewell ‘Morning gents’... Firstly, I must congratulate all of the prize winners today. This event - despite its virtual setting - always clearly highlights just how successful the community of Abingdon boys, staff and parents is. It is clear that the success of the school is down to the way in which every moving part of this community works in such great harmony in shaping and moulding such brilliant young men during their time here. Now, if their sleeping patterns have not been too disturbed and a few are actually watching this, I would like to address my peers - the class of 2020. Usually, the less virtual setting of this event would have allowed me to glorify the various end of year celebrations such as the Griffen Ball, Leavers’ Day and indeed Prize Giving - these such glittering occasions that majestically mark the end of our 14 years of school education. I would have mentioned them because, traditionally, these have been the perfect moments to look back and reminisce on the cerise-tinted memories that this institution has afforded us. I’m sure I would have also indulged in a few extended metaphors comparing school and the rest of our lives to a running race or something of the sort. But, this year is different. This year is different for a plethora of reasons not just for those that immediately spring to mind. Of course, some of these more blatant reasons will have led to feelings of sadness, loss and injustice over the past few weeks. Nevertheless, I would like to challenge my peers to attempt to look past this thick fog of uncertainty and find the more subtle reasons why this, of all years, is different to others. To do this, let’s look back to those oh so innocent, lego-haircut and slightly chubbier times. A time when, as a timid 11, 13 or 14 year old, we tentatively made our first steps off the buses and almost immediately into the cafe, a place which many came to call home… a time when we discovered the memorable sights and smells of Big School, or more specifically the old Southwell Sander’s houseroom. Since then we have seen a week turn into two years, two years turn into adolescence and now we find ourselves on the precipice of adulthood. Now, I am an avid Office fan and despite the questionable quotes that David Brent is usually associated with I think this one in particular neatly sums up our situation as leavers: ‘I don’t look upon this like it’s the end, I look upon it like it’s moving on, you know. It’s almost like my work here’s done. I can’t imagine Jesus going ‘Oh, I’ve told a few people in Bethlehem I’m the son of God, can I just stay here with Mum and Dad now?’ No. You gotta move on. You gotta spread the word. You gotta go to Nazareth, please.’ Hopefully, this appeases Reverend Steer whilst also showing a valuable message about the importance of moving forward and taking everything we have learnt at Abingdon with us. Another pertinent quote I encountered whilst investigating the American version of the Office - I know slightly controversial - was ‘I wish there was a way to know you’re in the good old days before you’ve actually left them’. This left me almost as emotional as Alex Scott or Will Moores on our impromptu final day - sorry fellas… Therefore, to the latest members of the OA Club I now challenge you to take many improvised Griffen Ball-like moments to hark back across the years at the whirlwind of lessons, fixtures, concerts, performances, olympiads, friendships and maybe even a few exams that we have all been so fortunate to be a part of. So, what did I mean when I mentioned those other more subtle reasons that make this year so different? Actually, there is only one that we really need to understand. And that is that this is the year that Abingdon releases our year group into the wild, our year group, our unique, unforgettable, successful and immensely resilient year group. Thank you to every parent, teacher and boy who has made this journey through Abingdon, one of growth, enjoyment, dad jokes and friendships. I hope we are able to celebrate in the near future; but until then, we must not look at this as the end. Thank you. Jimmy Strainge, 7PDW