Silver DofE

Overwhelmingly painful, exhausting, debilitating. These are some of the words that may be associated with the Silver Duke of Edinburgh award expedition which lasts for 3 days 2 nights and requires significant effort and hard work. However rather than being put off by this instead embrace the challenge as the benefits will outweigh the pain and hard work.

As previously mentioned, there are a plethora of reasons why one may not wish to partake in this expedition and the colossal effort and determination required can be challenging however what we can learn from this expedition is one of a kind.

Endurance

The expedition is a creator perfectly sculpting one’s character. With each step under the heavy weight of the backpack, with each challenging ascent, with each step taken in the uneven, muddy footpath our endurance is intricately woven to be used in real life scenarios. The Duke of Edinburgh award expedition is a testament to our unwavering spirit which is trapped in a cage of comfort and ease and with the trigger of a challenge can be sparked and emerge as a powerful driving force which is crucial for our daily needs and to advance to a position of unbeatable endurance.

Teamwork

Navigation, setting up camp, cooking are some of the few things which are involved in the expedition and as a result everyone must accept their roles and work together to be efficient. Teamwork is an essential part of this expedition, and this is something I learnt as part of my practice expedition during the easter holidays. After our experience form Bronze DofE, we soon realised that by being practical and planning out our tasks we were able to create a symphony of synchronised effort.

Friendship

Finally, DofE strengthens the invaluable concrete core of friendship. By escaping from school and city life where our thoughts are drowned out by the cacophony of the bustling areas, aided by the serene soundscape of the countryside it allows you to strengthen your relationship with your friends. Moments such as words of motivation during fatigue or collaboration while navigating propels us through a transformation which grows your collective spirit.