Interview with Rothesay Netherwood School Alum, Heather Chisholm

At RNS, they push you to do your best, but they also have a really kind of supportive mindset, and the atmosphere is really good. So I think that atmosphere and those opportunities to try whatever you want. I mean, you don't have to have any experience to join the sports teams, to join the musicals. 

They kind of find a place for you and really embrace you. I think a big one is the opportunities. Like I said, when I started, I'd never played sports, and I was a little bit shy to start that, and I felt like it was a little bit like it was kind of too late for me to start joining those teams and trying those things. But as soon as I got there, I was taken in. And there's a really, I think something that's kind of different about RNS, and I've heard from a lot of students at other schools, but they're very competitive and RNS, they push you to do your best, but they also have a really kind of supportive mindset, and the atmosphere is really good. They kind of find a place for you and really embrace you. So I think that's kind of the biggest thing. I mean, that's really changed my life, getting to try those things. I And really a lot of who I've become today has been because I had the opportunity to try rowing, to try being in musicals, to volunteer with go girls.

I think the big one is that atmosphere that while it's competitive, it's not like pitting anyone against each other. I need to beat everyone. They really push kind of that individual mindset of success.

I think the campus is a huge part of it. There are so many buildings and there's a lot of space. It's in New Brunswick, so I think the campus is really nice. You have a lot of space there. I think, too, it's a really kind of positive space. I know it's really helped me kind of with any body issues because there's a lot of athletes and they really encourage healthy eating, a healthy mindset. And I mean, I think that's a huge thing. There's not really any of those external pressures to kind of be a certain way. I think warm, outgoing, and supportive.

The warmth, I've kind of touched on that a little bit, but just kind of that community aspect. It's really strong. I felt that moving through it because I started there as the youngest student and then I've had a lot of leadership opportunities through it. So I think being on both sides of that, there's not many places where you see, like middle school and grade six students having a regular conversation and interacting with grade eleven and twelve students.

So I think that kind of support is a huge part of it. Outgoing. I think there's a lot of opportunities to really try different things. The teachers are really warm and really kind of pull you in to try different things so you can really kind of flourish, however that looks for you supportive? Yeah, I guess I kind of touched on those as well. But just you're really supported. However success looks for you and whether you want to try sports, whether you want to be in the musical, whether you want to do science related things, even if they don't already have that type of thing at the school, there's teachers and other students always really eager to kind of jump in and start something. I think kindness. I mean, community too. But RNS is kind of a little pocket where we get students from all around the world. And where you're in New Brunswick, you're there, you're on the Hill, and everyone kind of has that opportunity to really connect with each other, especially if you're living there as well.

I've made some friendships that are kind of the closest friendships of my life. They're like family because you're living with these people, you're on sports teams with these people, and even if you're kind of a shy person, you have that chance to really kind of interact and find that community away from home. I remember personally my parents were really surprised when we toured just how talkative and friendly the students were. And the grade twelve students that were touring us were engaging with me, who was an elementary school kid. So I think that level of kind of connection between students, I think you don't see that everywhere.

 I think the opportunities are kind of surprising, too. There's so much I think there's kind of two answers to that. There's obviously the school one taking IB. It's pretty rigorous. You have a pretty heavy workload. You have a lot of classes. So I think that's definitely prepared me for having a good work ethic. And when I was boarding, they have kind of a set study period which helps you kind of build those habits. So especially with online school, that's really helped me this year and first year. And then I think the social aspect is another one, kind of having that opportunity to join teams as a young kid and then be kind of a cast member or a leader on those teams.

I think one of the most impactful things for me was when I left, a bunch of grades six and seven, middle school girls ran up and hugged me and kind of thanked me for being at the school. So I think kind of realising my potential and how I can kind of have an impact on others has been really big. I think a lot of it is your mindset. I think RNS is really great because it has a lot of opportunities that have a really great community. But you also have to kind of go in with the mindset to really embrace that. And I think it is kind of what you make of it. So I know some people go there and they kind of go with a little bit of a more closed off mindset and that can be tricky where it is a smaller community. So I think there's a kind of pros and cons to how small it is. It's a very small school and so, you know, everyone. But kind of how you take advantage of that is really kind of key with what you get from it. I think I've come to see it a bit more fondly in some ways.

I think it's easy when you're a student to be kind of, oh, I have all these assignments. I hate chemistry, but I think kind of taking a step away and being in a different environment, I've realised just how special that community is and kind of how important it's been for me. I mean, I've been there since grade six to twelve. It's been a good chunk of my life. Yeah, I think just being in a different situation, I've just realised how valuable that community in that place has been for me. I think a big one is you're going to be pushed out of your comfort zone and you're going to have those opportunities to try different things. I mean, I look back, I wouldn't have ever done or tried some of the things that have become so important to me. I think, you know, going there that you're going to be embraced, you're going to be supported and kind of however that is, RNS has a lot of different people with a lot of different interests, but I've never seen anyone kind of brought down for that or kind of discouraged from pursuing what makes them unique.

And then I think academics, the IB program is a really big one. It's going to be a lot of work, but it's going to prepare you for university. And I think that's been a huge thing this year, especially with essays. I think I would probably set up a tour with them so they can see it for themselves, but it would depend on their reasoning. But I'm not being paid by anyone to talk about RNS, but I really do believe in what it has to offer. And I really think that as soon as you kind of step foot on campus, you can really feel that it's a really special place. So I think kind of seeing it for themselves would really help with that, but you can reach out and talk to any student on campus. People are happy to talk about it. 

In my experience, I think having that open mindset, I think it's one of those places where you can try things you're not good at and not really be scared to fail at them. So to really just try things.I never thought that I would like sports. When I first came there, I was convinced that that was not for me, but it ended up being a big part of my life and I never thought I would sing in a musical. So I think just fully just putting yourself out there as much as you can and also if there's something that you really want to do, to ask about it and to push that because so many people are happy to step up and help.