We are so grateful for the support and advice that our Old Girls have given and continue to give to our students, even through difficult times such as these. With this in mind, we took to Facebook to ask for their 'words of wisdom', with the aim of inspiring our students (and each other!) as they navigate this unusual period.

We posed three questions for them to answer, simply by finishing a sentence. We were amazed at how much advice and positivity came back. Here is just a small selection. From the profound, to the entirely practical, all the way across the spectrum to culinary based advice and the purely humorous!

Thank you Old Girls!

Experience tells me that...

‘Rest is sometimes more important than keeping slogging on. Give yourselves a break, and know that the break is productive' Emily Bisset, 2006 leaver

'The easiest path isn’t necessarily the right path for you. School gives you opportunities but it is up to you to find your true north. Understand what you are genuinely interested in or drawn towards. All experience is good if you learn from it' Mo Elly Cooper, 1985 leaver

‘Who you are now doesn’t have to be who you are in the future. The opinions of others around you is not definitive. There are a thousand ways of building a life and career for yourself’ Trish Ferguson-Jay, 1982 leaver

'You never know what is round the corner so make the most of each and every day' Catherine Hollingsworth, 1981 leaver

'Reaching out to friends and family is really important and can make a huge difference to how you feel' Sasha Bagwell-Cox, 2019 leaver

'Whilst we must learn from the past, the future is still an unknown opportunity to make the most of and be enjoyed' Jenny Sabey, 1999 leaver

'100% do what you love and what you’re good at, the two often go hand in hand. Work out what your passion is and never ever EVER give up. Go for it!' Catherine Powell, 1990 leaver

'You have to slow down to speed up. Take the walk/run/cup of tea in peace and allow your brain to bring out all the creativity and inspiration that’s inside' Sue Newport, 1990 leaver

'Whatever grades you achieve on leaving school, all is not lost. Taking a winding path to achieve your goal can and does have its own rewards. Your worth is not measured purely by results' Alice Flower, 2009 leaver

'Don’t look back with regrets but look forward with hope, optimism and an open mind' Jo Manley, 1980 leaver

'Few things are not improved by the addition of delicious biscuits' Lucy Matheson,1996 leaver

'Asking for help is a sign of strength' Sophie Henstridge Brown, 2007 leaver

'The only things worth worrying about are the things you can change' Helen Russ, 1977 leaver

'Dying your hair in lockdown is a disastrous idea!' Heather Nash, 1980 leaver

'Whatever misfortune I am undergoing, it will pass and not only that, I shall learn from it and benefit from it eventually' Amanda Bonnick, 1980 leaver

'Mindset is so important and trying to see things from a positive perspective' Lisa McVeigh, 1983 leaver

'Laughter is really important' Sophie Dreyer, 2018 leaver

'You can often put off until tomorrow what you think needs to be done today. Be kind to yourself and lessen the pressure' Gail Bowen-Huggett, 1981 leaver

'Whether it be good or bad, no experience is ever wasted' Pat Leggatt, 1963 leaver, 1981 leaver

'You can’t predict the future, so enjoy your time with family and friends now. Jobs may come and go but the friendships you build with last a lifetime' Jenny Toms, 1992 leaver

'What you want from life will change as the years pass. Stay open to new dreams, and to the different possibilities and opportunities that present themselves' Cate Styer, 1996 leaver

'Chocolate refrigerator cake puts a smile on people’s faces' Nell Reeder, 1980 leaver

'The sun will come out tomorrow' Janine Allen, 1976 leaver

'It will get better' Lizzie Wiggs, 1997 leaver

Use this time to...

‘Just do what you need to do to be OK. There’s no need to write a novel, grow vegetables or set yourself other challenges. It’s OK just to survive this' Katherine Tennek

'Work out what is really important, personal and globally' Lucy Matheson, 1996 leaver

'Take a rest and rediscover the joys of nature, all those that you love and let the sun shine in' Beryl Pearce Carr, 1958 leaver

'Do things that make you happy' Catherine Hollingsworth, 1981 leaver

'Practice feeling and being grateful, being kind to yourself an others' Sue Fraser, 1970 leaver

'Do the things you usually say you have no time to do!' Hilary Owen, 1966 leaver

'Relax and recharge your batteries' Gail Bowen-Huggett, 1981 leaver

'Get to know who you are and rediscover past loves and hobbies' Sasha Bagwell-Cox, 2019 leaver

'Be kind to yourself' Janine Allen, 1976 leaver

Make sure you appreciate...

'Your health and the kindness of other. What you have, even if it isn’t as much as you might want' Rebecca Johnson Bista, 1983 leaver

'Your family and friends' Gail Bowen-Huggett, 1981 leaver

'The act of breathing' Janine Allen, 1976 leaver

'Being able to go when and where we want to go' Hilary Owen, 1966 leaver

'The little things, like sunshine, a hot shower, fresh air, a smile from a neighbour. It may sound a bit trite, but taking a few seconds to appreciate what you have makes is easier to shift away from the things we are missing right now' Jo Keeling, 1995 leaver

'Life and everything it has to offer. We might not be able to do the things we want to do right now, but there are always new and interesting things to try out' Sasha Bagwell-Cox, 2019 leaver

'Your mum, if you are lucky enough to still have one' Lucy Dalby 1991 leaver

After receiving so much fantastic advice, we ended our Words of wisdom week by sharing  a message from fellow Old Girl, Gabrielle Kingaby (1938 leaver) giving her reflections on the current pandemic and the comparisons she has drawn with her experience of working alongside the Bletchley Park codebreakers during WWII.