Today on Nailing Homesickness, we’re heading to a little place near Oaklands in southern New South Wales, not far from Albury and Yarrawonga, to meet Harry – a Year 8 boarder at Scotch College in Melbourne.
Harry grew up working on the farm, helping his dad in the header or chaser bin at harvest, and boarding wasn’t just a new school – it was a whole new world. In Year 7 he found himself four hours from home, missing family, missing the farm, and trying to keep up with the academic step-up that comes with a school like Scotch.
In this conversation, Harry talks honestly about those early days: the tears, the tough moments, and how getting out of his room, joining in activities, playing cricket with the other new boarders, and talking to his mates and parents made all the difference. He also shares how surprise care packages from Mum, regular phone calls, and simply “having a crack” at everything helped him move from just coping to actually thriving.
If you’ve got a boy who’d rather be in a header than a classroom right now – or you’re a parent worried about how he’ll handle the transition – Harry’s story will feel very familiar and very reassuring.
A big thank you to Little Big Dairy Co for sponsoring our Nailing Homesickness miniseries. A family owned and operated dairy that brings fresh milk to your fridge.
