By Ben Parnham

So here it is.

My last SCAB.

The first Portfolio Day

Am I ready?

Probably not.

Am I keen?
Hell yes.

It felt like the end would never come. Which has made me regret every thing that I have put off. I have been in the habit of saying, “I’ll do that later”, “Next week is another week.”

A huge part of me thinks that I haven’t squeezed everything I possibly could out of the school. But shit, I don’t want this to be a scab based on regret. I would prefer this to be a SCAB that reflects on how grateful I am to have had this chance.

I could look back at all the opportunities that I didn’t take. But that wouldn’t be very fun would it? Yes, there have been a lot of letdowns this year. I look around and see award statues bracing the desks of those that have gone out and grabbed this year by the balls. But hey, that’s lesson learnt.

I can only reflect on how much I have grown this year. I started the year as a bloody slacker. Thinking that things would just be handed to me. To all those reading this that has been accepted into the school for next year, congratulations! But that is NOT job done. This is only the start of your journey. As it is mine. Yes, you will learn and grow and become someone you never thought you could be. That is a given. But please, take your oppertunity as the gift that it is. The school offers only what you can take out of it. Amazing mentors, all the guidance you could ever need and an atmosphere surrounded by the most remarkably gifted and talented people you could ever hope to be involved with is an wonderful start. But it will NOT get you there. At the end of the day it is up to you.

This is a lesson that I have learnt very late.  I have only been at my prime for this last term and the progress has been amazing. It only makes me wonder where I would be if I came into the school on day one with the “Crush, Kill, Destroy” attitude that I have now. Perhaps it would be me with the statues sitting on my desk (Congratulations by the way lads, very much deserved).

I said I wouldn’t base this scab on regret, and it seems that is what I have done so far. So here we go, just like my time at the school, here is my turn around in the last third.

I am so grateful to have had this chance. I would like to thank all the mentors who never stopped believing in me. The BARK intake, for being all the inspiration I could ever need. The girls in the office for truly caring about me. My parents, for sending me here and dealing with my bullshit. And finally a big thank you to the big boss dog Mr Marc Lewis. The goofiest, most bonkers yet the smartest bloke that I think I have ever met. Thank you for the opportunity.

To everyone involved in this crazy old year, the best of my life, thank you so much. I hope I make you proud when I get out there in the big wide world.

Good luck to all of my beloved puppies. I know you’re all going to kill it.

Begin a revolution, Kids.

Peace out.