Completing all three DofE awards was more than just an achievement to put on your CV - it was a discovery of who I was as a person. It was the last day on our Gold expedition in the Lake District and one of our team members had incredibly sore and blistered feet from Day 1 which only got worse. We were 1km away from our finishing campsite and the sun was setting, and he physically could not wear his boots any longer, it hurt that much. So, the rest of us (6 or so) paired up and took turns in carrying him for the last 1k, one person carrying his upper body, the other person carrying his legs, like as if we were carrying a log. It was a triumph of teamwork, selflessness and perseverance - something that cannot be taught or shown in day-to-day school life. Up until now, myself and the others have always reflected on this one event, bringing it up in conversations at parties or in our group chats - it has become a running joke. But at the same time, it was a testament to our friendship and our sacrifice to help others out in times of pain or stress. He really wanted to finish the expedition, as did we all, and so we made sure we all finished together, at the same time, and all in one piece.