I completed both the Bronze and Silver Duke of Edinburgh Awards, and some of my most profoundly gratifying experiences and fondest memories are from the expeditions upon which we embarked. The relentless teamwork and the excitement of working with my friends to navigate our route certainly added to the adventure. The Duke of Edinburgh Award gave us the opportunity to venture out of comfort zones; sleeping under the stars, witnessing incredible landforms and being surrounded by nature and beautiful scenery made my experiences all the more memorable. Perhaps more important though, the process reminded me of the significance of giving back, and volunteering at a sports club and then within my school challenged me, but it brought out qualities of communication and empathy that I will carry with me in my future endeavours. I look back at my journeys on these expeditions with pride, but even more so with slight nostalgia. Spending summer days walking through fields with my friends, sharing laughter and supporting one another, cooking and setting up tents, gazing up at the sky- these are moments that I will cherish and treasure forever.