Captains’ Corner | Vice Captain, Tom Woodrow

Over the past seven days, life at Terrace has thrived. While the Terrace Cross Country team has slowed down, the pace at which exam and assignment deadlines creep up on students has increased, leading to sleepless nights for disorganised people like me. Yet, despite these busy weeks proving extremely tough for students, staff and parents alike, it is essential that we persevere over the next month so that we can truly bask in the rewards which the holidays will surely bring.

Last Wednesday, one of the biggest sporting events of the calendar took place in Ipswich at Limestone Park when the nine GPS schools came together for GPS Cross Country. As I am sure you have already heard, Terrace placed eighth overall. If I am being honest, this result was disappointing considering Terrace has had a long history of success at Limestone Park. Since 2000, Terrace has won the GPS Cross Country eight times and placed consistently in the top three for the other years. However, over the past few years a slump has occurred meaning our results are not as strong as they once were. Yet, this doesn’t mean the ‘long red line’ has finished. In fact, this is certainly not the case considering the true meaning of the ‘long red line’ is not about the results; rather, it is about each Terrace runner pushing himself and his mates to limits which they previously did not believe were there. And I can say that this year, just like last year and the year before that, the Terrace men followed this tradition and therefore continued the ‘long red line’. 

This year, I was privileged enough to take part in the Terrace Cross Country program and become a member of something which was more than a team but a brotherhood of men, from Year 5 to Year 12, who were willing to push themselves to their breaking points. Although we did not achieve a result which will be remembered for years to come, I can proudly and honestly say that every Terrace runner gave it his all. Every Terrace runner accepted Mr Hinch’s challenge to show guts and strength in his final lap of Limestone Park. Every Terrace runner went All In. This is something of which Terrace should be extremely proud. 

For the past few months, waking up early in the morning to run has been a huge part of my life and now that this strange pastime has concluded, I am left feeling nostalgic for the times running alongside Terrace greats such as Robby Podesta, Pat Monckton and Matt Lau. It is a bittersweet sensation which I did not fully comprehend. That was until this morning, when I had the opportunity to talk to one of the Eddie’s Van locals. His name is Lenny and he has been living it rough on the streets for quite some time. Yet, although there are many differences between the 17-year-old me and the 72-year-old Lenny, we formed a friendship through a conversation on the famous Latin phrase Carpe Diem. Through sharing his own personal story, Lenny highlighted to me the importance of living each day to the full and truly seizing the day while we can. This is because in just a small amount of time, the things which you enjoy the most may finish before you are ready to part ways with them.

As a Senior who has less than one hundred days of Terrace schooling remaining, the concept of Carpe Diem is extremely relevant to me. It seems incredible that my journey at Terrace which started as a nervous young boy in Year 5 will soon come to an end. Therefore, it is important for me, other Seniors and Terrace’s younger students to truly ‘seize the day’ and make the most of Terrace while they can. I know that the day I leave Terrace will be extremely sad. However, if I leave knowing I lived each day to the full, I can look back on my time at Terrace with pride instead of regret. This is something with which I challenge each Terracian. From this day on, follow the advice of Lenny and seize the day while you have the opportunity. I wish you luck with the final weeks of the term and hope you give it all you have got to go All In with life at Terrace, leaving nothing behind. I have included a poem that captures the essence of Carpe Diem.

God Bless, 
Tom Woodrow.

To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time

Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,
Old Time is still a-flying;
And this same flower that smiles today
Tomorrow will be dying.

The glorious lamp of heaven, the sun,
The higher he's a-getting,
The sooner will his race be run,
And nearer he's to setting.

That age is best which is the first,
When youth and blood are warmer;
But being spent, the worse, and worst
Times still succeed the former.

Then be not coy, but use your time,
And while ye may, go marry;
For having lost but once your prime,
You may forever tarry.

Robert Herrick