<
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2025/jul/22/theres-no-rules-a-day-out-on-an-adult-school-trip>
"Ah, the school trip. Long bus journeys, packed lunches and a chance to escape
the shackles of the day-to-day routine.
It has been a good 18 years since I last went on an excursion of this kind, but
this weekend I’ve signed up for my own school trip of sorts: an adult day out
with the First Timers Club (FTC).
Instead of a teacher, it’s led by Penny Jordan, 30, who founded FTC in 2023
with two friends. What started as a way to try out new experiences soon
blossomed into a collective of like-minded people in Melbourne, with a social
media following of roughly 30,000 and chapters in Sydney and London.
Welcoming everyone, Jordan delivers news that any school child would be
ecstatic to hear: “There’s no rules today … Just have fun!”
We’ve met in Melbourne’s inner north and are heading to Phillip Island for the
annual Island Whale festival, a celebration of the majestic creatures timed to
coincide with their migration from Antarctica to warmer waters in the north.
While the stated aim of the trip is to glimpse some whales, most people are
here to find something else: connection with others. About three quarters of
those attending today are at their first event.
“It’s nice to try new activities that I wouldn’t normally do solo. And having
it all organised while meeting new people really takes the mental load out of
it,” says Julia Caissutti, 30, who has been to several FTC events."
Share and enjoy,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
