My DofE experiences have honestly been the best times of my life. I still stand by the fact that the gold expedition has been the hardest thing I've ever done, physically and mentally (hiking 10 hours on the hottest day of the year speaks for itself) but the friends I made, the laughs we had, the late night card games and swimming in waterfalls I will cherish forever. DofE also got me into volunteering. Something that was compulsory in the award quickly turned into something that gave me so much joy and is now a part of my weekly routine even after finishing the award over a year ago. I've gained so many skills volunteering for charities that mean a lol to me, such as The British Heart Foundation and Barnardos and I'm forever grateful that DofE gave me that reason to volunteer; it really opened my eyes and has brought me so much happiness.