Wonderful Days with the New 1st-Year Classes in Berlin
As the saying goes, well begun is half done – and that also applies in high school. It is important to get off to a good start in a new class, because social cohesion is the glue that will hold the students together throughout their academic development.
That’s why the introductory trip at Birkerød Gymnasium is scheduled right after the start of the study program in November, so the new and permanent classes can quickly get to know each other well. All 1st-year students are sent on a three-day social trip to Berlin, filled with academic experiences, team-building, and social activities.
There are many good reasons why Berlin is the destination for the introductory trip. Berlin can be reached by bus, and with its many green areas, it allows us to carry out fun outdoor team-building activities. In addition, Berlin offers a wealth of magnificent museums and cultural experiences, so there is plenty for our students to experience and something to suit every study program.
A total of 246 1st-year STX students and 18 teachers therefore took turns traveling to Berlin during week 47 to bond well in their new classes, and the good atmosphere was present right from the start, as the students boarded the buses heading for Berlin, where there was a great mood all the way.
Over the days, the students were divided into room groups and day groups across their new study program classes, so they had time to get to know different new classmates. The program included communal dining, evening fun with the big, traditional music quiz, an excursion day with each class’s class leader, and team-building activities.
The team-building activities, as always, took place in the beautifully autumn-colored park Kleiner Tiergarten, located right across from the hotel. Here, activities included blind man’s buff, dodgeball, synchronized walking, dancing, and turning over a tarpaulin while up to 32 students stood on it.
All classes also visited the German memorial for the Berlin Wall on Bernauer Strasse, where everyone took a virtual audio-guided tour and became acquainted with memory history. After that, it was time for the class leaders’ turn with their own classes, which offered many exciting experiences for the different classes. Some classes visited the Body Worlds exhibition, others went on a selfie treasure hunt down Unter den Linden with its many beautiful museums, some visited the German Spy Museum, one class visited the Stasi prison Hohenschönhausen, while another visited the Stasi headquarters. All in all, some really wonderful days filled with experiences and good company, strengthening the cohesion in the new classes.
On the afternoon of the third day, the trip went back to Denmark and BG, and again the mood on the bus was excellent, although some students were a bit more tired than when they left BG. There is no doubt that the students enjoyed their days in Berlin and have become much closer. As we all know, good social cohesion also lays the foundation for good academic collaboration, so now all that remains is to wish all 1st-year students some truly wonderful years at BG.