The DofE expeditions were one of the most challenging things that I have done so far. During the expeditions, I often thought about quitting but the support from my group mates and the thought of getting the award kept me motivated to finish the expeditions. I am glad to have completed all of the awards as it has taught me resilience, independency, self sufficiency, team work and most of all the confidence to be my self! These skills can be applied to job opportunities which make DofE an important scheme to apply to.

DofE has also taught me the importance of preserving nature for the future generations. The aim of my Gold expedition was researching areas of high tourist interest and I found that years of land domestication has led to significant changes on the landscape. This means that ancient woodlands have or are drastically disappearing and this has had a negative impact on ecosystems. As such, I have gotten more interested in sustainability and have attempted to make lifestyle changes in order to reduce my carbon footprint. I cannot thank the DofE enough for allowing me to challenge myself and it has me the person I am today!