Ridley College - Review #3

Ridley let me dive into service work in ways I didn't expect. Three years meant two major international trips that changed how I think about everything. Guatemala and Thailand weren't tourism or resume stuff. We actually taught English to kids with no education access, installed stoves in villages to reduce lung cancer risk, worked at conservation sites. The cadet program taught discipline through structure I wouldn't have gotten elsewhere. Being Prefect meant real responsibility for the boarding community. Now studying psychology at Western and working with the Learning Disabilities Association, which connects back to realizing through those trips that I wanted to help people facing barriers. Three years gave me academic foundation and the perspective shift I needed.

Guatemala and Thailand trips shifted my perspective on what I wanted to do. Teaching kids with no education access made me care about helping people overcome learning barriers, why I'm studying psychology and working with learning disabilities now. Installing stoves, turtle conservation, elephant sanctuary taught me I wanted service-focused work. Being Prefect taught supporting community. Cadet developed discipline. Three years showed me who I wanted to become.

Wish I'd done more local service in St. Catharines too. Wish I'd connected academic coursework to service experiences more intentionally at the time. Advice: absolutely do service trips because they'll change how you see everything. Being Prefect is demanding but rewarding. Cadet teaches discipline beyond military contexts. Think about how outside-classroom experiences connect to your future.

Service trips to Guatemala and Thailand shaped my psychology decision and learning disabilities work. Being Prefect taught practical leadership. Cadet developed discipline. Boarding community created deep bonds through shared experiences. Ridley gave me academic prep and perspective shift I needed.

Do the service trips, they'll change how you think and show you what you care about. Being Prefect teaches real leadership. Cadet is intense but valuable. Boarding community becomes family when navigating meaningful experiences together. Pay attention to how outside classroom learning connects to your future because those experiences often matter more than grades.

Academics prepared me for psychology at Western, though the service trips taught me as much about human behavior as any classroom. Teachers understood Guatemala and Thailand were legitimate learning that connected to coursework. Workload was manageable while pushing me to stay focused. The culture valued service and diverse perspectives. Transition to Western felt natural because Ridley got me thinking about why people face different barriers and opportunities.

Wasn't heavily involved since energy went to service work, cadet program, and prefect duties. School didn't pressure participation if your focus was elsewhere.

Wasn't involved since time went to service trips and leadership roles.

Guatemala and Thailand trips became the most meaningful parts. Guatemala opened my eyes to what lack of education access actually looks like. Teaching English to kids in El Progreso made me realize I wanted to help people overcome learning barriers. Installing stoves to reduce lung cancer taught me how practical interventions improve lives. Thailand built on that through community kitchen work, turtle conservation, elephant sanctuary. All of it reinforced I cared about service. Cadet program taught discipline through military-style training. Being Prefect meant supporting boarding community and representing student concerns. Now working with Learning Disabilities Association connects directly to those realizations.

Boarding created community that made service trips impactful. People I lived with became people I traveled with to Guatemala and Thailand, which bonded us beyond typical dorm friendships. Late night conversations processing what we'd seen. Being Prefect while boarding meant responsibility for community functioning. Staff were supportive. Boarding taught independence and building genuine connections.

Food was fine. Meals became social time, especially with people who'd gone on trips together. We'd compare dining hall food to Guatemala or Thailand, which gave perspective.

St. Catharines felt safe. Most time on campus as boarding student from Toronto.

Social scene was genuinely vibing because of service trips. Guatemala and Thailand created bonds deeper than typical friendships. Navigating intense experiences together from teaching kids to working with elephants made relationships more meaningful. Being Prefect connected me across grades. Cadet program created another community. Social experience felt authentic and built around actually doing things that mattered.