Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

If you could go back in time and do it all again, would you go back to CH?

I know I would in a heart beat, only this time I would go on the 2nd form and not the 3rd and I would stay for my grecians year.

If this has been discussed before, sorry but I couldn't find it

I think so - I agree that going when the majority go is important. I felt an outsider much of my time, I had not got a place the first time I sat the exams, but did the second.

If I had not gone my life might have been very different. I sometimes wonder how close my parents got to not sending me, one of my brothers died after an accident three weeks before I started. Thus my parents went from two children at home and one at Horsham to none at home and an aching gap in their lives, and one at Horsham and one at Hertford in a very short space of time. There are some things that it is very difficult to ask your parents - even after all this time.

Scone Lover wrote:If you could go back in time and do it all again, would you go back to CH?

I know I would in a heart beat, only this time I would go on the 2nd form and not the 3rd and I would stay for my grecians year.

If this has been discussed before, sorry but I couldn't find it

That's a tough, tough question to answer!

There were some real low points but good times too and I made some friends I'm still in contact with. It was a beautiful place to live as well.

As I write this the positives are outweighing the negatives so I will say YES!

Wow Katharine that is a really staggering story. How on earth did you and your family cope?

Scone Lover wrote:If you could go back in time and do it all again, would you go back to CH?

Without a doubt, yes. Horsham that is not Hertford If I could go back and do it all again but without any exams I'd be happy!

Actually, I think I want to go back there but have all of you girls there with all of you fellas at the same time. Imagine the trouble we could get into.

Scone Lover wrote:Actually, I think I want to go back there but have all of you girls there with all of you fellas at the same time. Imagine the trouble we could get into.

Doesn't bear thinking about!

I do sometimes think what it would have been like to have on gone in at 2nd form rather than new dep, but then when i see how restricted juniors were i dot, but then i wonder if the bullying i went through at 13-16 would have been as bad at CH as it was at Tanbridge? but then i was bullied at deps as well so maybe it would have been?

Who knows, what i do know is that it made me grow up andbecome independent and the strength to happily go away to uni. and i met the best friend in the world at CH which i will always be eternally grateful for, and I got taught by some of the best teachers who have given me passions in literature and history which I will always have as well!

So no i wouldnt go back, i have done it and now have to take what i learnt and move on.

Never, never, never, well not to Hertford anyway.

Like Sean I wouldn't mind giving a co-ed Horsham a go.

I think it would have been so much better to have girls there. I would have learned so much earlier that girls could be friends too, they weren't just there to be chatted up. I just wish I had been good at the chat up!

I would go back - just so I could do it all again without the mistakes (HA!)

oh Mr P did you make mistakes-chance to get some dirt on you now???? What did you do?

Would I do it again ? Very tough question : on the negative side I suffered emotional and psychological scars that handicap me to this day
( remember the cold/unfeeling thread ?) , on the positive side I developed a resilience and strength of character which has got me through a lot of bad situations - but perhaps those traits would have developed anyway.

Balance is nevertheless towards " yes" , but I would get a lot more out of those years and not let socio-academic preconceptions influence my future.

Yes. Yes and Yes

Like Sean, I think it would be more fun with the girls, but there would be some things I would miss too. The fellowship engendered by the large dayrooms, the pride in marching well, the unique experience of marching up to Dining Hall in the Tube (and keeping one's coat dry), the space to think afforded by daily chapel, free games-kit, shoes and pjs!

DavebytheSea wrote:Yes. Yes and Yes

Like Sean, I think it would be more fun with the girls, but there would be some things I would miss too. The fellowship engendered by the large dayrooms, the pride in marching well, the unique experience of marching up to Dining Hall in the Tube (and keeping one's coat dry), the space to think afforded by daily chapel, free games-kit, shoes and pjs!

I'm with Dave on this one.

HOWEVER......................

If you asked me the same question in the Summer of 63, the answer would have been a resounding NO !

Funny how time matures and changes the mind !