On our first episode of our 4th season of Nailing Homesickness we’re chatting with Archie, a boarder at Brisbane Boys’ College who never – and I mean never – imagined he’d end up at a boarding school.
Archie grew up in Gladstone in central Queensland, with strong country roots and a tight-knit group of mates. Boarding school wasn’t on the radar at all… until a BBC athletics scout spotted him at State Championships and started calling his dad. What followed was months of family conversations, a very reluctant mum, and a big decision that saw Archie start boarding halfway through Year 9 – right in the middle of rugby season.
In this episode, Archie talks about the hardest parts of leaving home: missing his mates, his parents, and grandparents who’d just moved to be closer. He shares how jumping straight into sport, saying yes to a new game he’d never played, and getting around “the boys” in his dorm helped him settle, find his people, and ease the homesickness.
He also speaks beautifully about how staying in touch – calling his mum every single night and keeping up with mates back home – has helped him feel like he truly belongs in both worlds.
If you’ve got a teen who’s unsure about boarding, or you’re a parent hesitating on that big decision, Archie’s perspective will give you plenty to think about – and a lot of reassurance.
