Who said that the last few days after final exams should be restful days where our only focus should be cleaning up and packing up? As we anchored off Scheveningen and prepared for our upcoming grand arrival and family reunions, we decided students were ready for one last event, the Student Takeover. While we cleaned our ship and inventoried the contents of our benches, interested student had to apply formally, and completed an interview with all our officers for their desired maritime position. Positions available: captain, officers, bosun, able seamen/deck hands (AB), shipboard director, cooks, medical officer, and engineers.
I (Marilyn) could tell you how amazingly they did today. Our new leadership team organized our deep clean, motivated the team to keep going to complete all required tasks, and assumed responsibility for the last galley clean up shift of the day when everyone else was exhausted. All of that happened while they sailed us safely into one last harbour before Amsterdam. However, I got Holly, AB for the day, to talk to all the participating students and get their own perception of the day instead! Here you go:
Sebastian: Captain
The best part: Kicking the captain out of the bridge.
The hardest part: Dealing with the unexpected.
Something you learned: You can plan everything ahead, but things always change.
Emma W: 1st Officer
The best part: Being 1st officer
The hardest part: Being 1st officer, running the ship, and planning.
Something you learned: How to be the 1st officer. I learned how to better understand all the different working, procedures, and communication that goes on behind the scenes without the students noticing.
Thomas: 3rd Officer
The best part: Realizing we don’t always need to rely on the maritime crew and can sail the ship ourselves.
The hardest part: Staying focused and keeping things on track.
Something you learned: I learned all the proper procedures. I leaned the real job that the officers do.
Margaux: AB
The best part: During the morning watch, from 5am to 8am, we heaved anchor ourselves, leaving anchorage with sun rising and setting sails all by ourselves.
The hardest part: You have to be confident when making decisions because I’ve realized that I often know the answer but don’t have the confidence to actually make it happen.
Something you learned: Looking back, I realized how much I know and the last day made me realize that my hard work over the last 9 months has paid off.
Shaddai: AB
The best part: Setting all the sails ourselves and realizing that we can do so much and watching a beautiful sunset on 5am to 8am watch.
The hardest part: Getting up early and having to make things happen.
Something you learned: I learned to what extent my knowledge has expanded throughout the nine months on board.
Ben: Engineer
The best part: Working in the engine room.
The hardest part: Having a fire alarm drill.
Something you learned: It’s not all about being an engineer but also knowing your way around the inside of the ship.
Aiga: AB
The best part: Working on deck and having more responsibility. Realizing the knowledge I have.
The hardest part: Delegating tasks and keeping an overview.
Something you learned: I learned to have more confidence in what I know.
Zara: Engineer
The best part of your day: Learning new things and being hands on.
The hardest Part: It was tiring.
Something I learned: We are even more capable than we realize.
Dom: Cook
The best part: Everyone enjoying the food and a long second’s line.
The hardest part: Dinner prep and realizing all the work and the time pressures.
Something you learned: I gained more leadership skills.
Lulu: Shipboard director
The best part: Getting to stand up at Colours and getting the students to do stuff. I had fun with wake-ups.
The hardest part: Organizing the deep clean, delegating, and getting people motivated.
Something you learned: That Cody’s job is super hard. It stressed me out and I only did it for a day. I can’t imagine how Cody did it for 9 months.
Claire: Medical Officer
The best part: Overseeing and floating between different cleaning stations, helping out across the ship, and being supportive.
The hardest part: Having to make your own decisions and not having someone always telling you what you should be doing.
Something you learned: There is a lot of discretion involved with being the medical officer onboard.
Mauricio: 1st Officer
The best part: Being in control of the sailing manoeuvres.
The hardest part: Dealing with the fire alarm.
Something you learned: Steering the ship is like a video game.
Lukas: Bosun
The best part: Being able to put your knowledge to use.
The hardest Part: Nothing was particularly hard, but it was frustrating getting the energy going.
Something you learned: I learned how to better direct and manage a group of people.
Austin: AB
The best part: Harbour furling the headsails after a successful sail with my shipmates.
Hardest Part: How short the sail was, I wish it was longer than one day.
Something you learnt: Hauling on the reef lines can help greatly when getting a sail down.
Holly: AB
The best part: It was fun to actually get to put your knowledge to use, get to use your brain.
The hardest part: Getting people involved and working.
Something you learnt: Putting yourself in the shoes of the crew and understanding the work they do.
