Life in Nutfield by Kemi Odutola Year 12
When I think about Nutfield the first thing that comes to mind is the word family. But don’t get me wrong we are far from your average household. Consisting of about 60 unique girls, 2 sets of loving houseparents, a tutor team that rival the Avengers and 6 adorable pets, Nutfield is by far the nuttiest (pun intended) family you will ever come across.
Before I started writing this I asked around for words that define Nutfield and it was decided that this special family can be perfectly described in three words.
Fun, Supportive and Inclusive.
Hands down my favourite part of Nutfield is the fun we have together. All the karaoke nights, crafty cafés, super sports competitions and of course our house music performances that get crazier and crazier as the years go by, only begin to scratch the surface of what we get up to. In particular, I love our Ready,Steady,Cook nights because they bring the house together and as a result we get an amazing spread that would have even Gordon Ramsay asking for seconds. An unforgettable moment for me, was our recent informal house dinner. We dressed up as jungle animals, tucked into some Chinese food and sang some nearly glass shattering karaoke. Despite the numerous lost voices the next day, it was one of the most entertaining nights ever and something I will never forget. Lastly, I have to mention the infamous Nutfield game. Played only by Nutfield, this unique game gets the whole house stealthily running around school, trying to get people out, and create the biggest empire. I admit, it sounds a bit nuts but I promise it is the best fun anyone will ever have.
The supportive nature of the Nutfield community is second to none and it’s one of things you really can’t understand until you see it. Times when someone lends a hand with some difficult prep or even just keeps you company with a nice cup of tea barely begin to describe the way we encourage each other. The endless support gives all of us more confidence to do whatever we set our minds to because we know for sure we have an army of “Nutters'' behind us. For me, this makes life in school ten times easier knowing there are so many people looking out for you. The house is full of girls (who are more like sisters) that will support you endlessly while simultaneously cracking side-splitting jokes. And we can’t forget the house team who work tirelessly to take care of us, motivate us (especially when the last week of term hits), and bake some of the most amazing cakes I have ever laid my eyes on.
Another one of my favourites as I’ve already mentioned is house music at the beginning of the year. If I’m honest when I first got here I did not understand the motive behind having a huge house competition in the first three weeks of term. But the moment we belted the last line of I’m Still Standing by Elton John, it clicked. That feeling of happiness and triumph brings all the girls from all over the globe closer together. Ultimately, that’s what it’s all about. Nutfield would not be the same without each unique individual, whether human, cat, dog or chicken and it’s amazing to see all of them come together. The fact that I have a chance to be a part of this family makes me so happy because in the end what is life without a little “Heaven with the Bevans”.
Placed at the top of the valley, Nutfield is certainly a home away from home, and a place to relax away from our busy school lives. Even though it is a fair hike from the main school grounds, being in this house is worth it all because it has shaped the person I am today and given me the opportunity to create life-long relationships. In a nutshell, (had to get it in somewhere) I think Nutfield life is perfectly encapsulated by our informal slogan “yay Nutfield!”. The house is always bursting with joy, the sound of laughter and the smell of the house staple chocolate toasties. What’s not to love!
To find out more about Nutfield House. please visit their web page.
