Eagle309 10 Posted September 28, 2005 Share Posted September 28, 2005 My first weekend of Wood Badge (C-16-05) begins Friday after a couple of quite long days of work. How intense is this experince? Will I be run completely ragged or is more like a weekend campout (or district/council Camporee)? I guess I am just getting pre course jitters but I am picturing something like a fast paced business day for the entire weekend. I just hope I can keep my eyes open at work on Monday. Link to post Share on other sites
EagleInKY 14 Posted September 28, 2005 Share Posted September 28, 2005 It's pretty fast paced. Nothing like it in scouts to compare to. Probably more like some management workshops you may have attended on the job. Only, you sleep in a tent at night. You'll get time to rest, but don't expect to take naps like you do when you're the scoutmaster on the campout. Link to post Share on other sites
SueM 10 Posted September 29, 2005 Share Posted September 29, 2005 Don't worry and have a great time!! Usually your biggest challenge is deciding on a patrol project and getting your totem approved (at least at our course it was!) Get to know your patrol mates...have lots of scout spirit and you'll do fine. Let us all know what patrol you end up in!! Sue M. I used to be a Beaver.. Link to post Share on other sites
chipmunk 10 Posted September 29, 2005 Share Posted September 29, 2005 It is fast paced... but all our patrol was pretty bushed by the time we got there the first weekend but still got through it. One of the guys who own a transmission shop was up till 3am before showing up bright and early the next morning to get far enough ahead to go. It is really well done and interesting and once engaged, no one complained of how tired they were. You will sleep well the night after the first full day. If you are like me you will also think that there is no way you are absorbing anything as fast as it comes at you but after 6 months I "flash back" to those ever important lessons. 4 1/2 down and 1/2 to go! Looking for those beads! Used to be an ANTALOPE. Link to post Share on other sites
chipmunk 10 Posted September 29, 2005 Share Posted September 29, 2005 It is fast paced... but all our patrol was pretty bushed by the time we got there the first weekend but still got through it. One of the guys who own a transmission shop was up till 3am before showing up bright and early the next morning to get far enough ahead to go. It is really well done and interesting and once engaged, no one complained of how tired they were. You will sleep well the night after the first full day. If you are like me you will also think that there is no way you are absorbing anything as fast as it comes at you but after 6 months I "flash back" to those ever important lessons. 4 1/2 down and 1/2 to go! Looking for those beads! Used to be an ANTALOPE. Link to post Share on other sites
John-in-KC 311 Posted September 29, 2005 Share Posted September 29, 2005 Do not worry. Concentrate on getting to know your fellow Scouters. They will be one of the best resources you'll have the rest of your life. Although the syllabus is the same, each application of it is slightly different. If you've had leadership psych or soc before, the academics are ground you've plowed already. Useful review. Just remember: Wear your Class A uniform. Of course now that it's cooling off (38F in Kansas City area this morning) your red Scout jacket may be a good thing to have. Enjoy. John I used to be an Owl... C-40-05 Just starting my ticket Link to post Share on other sites
Aardvark 10 Posted September 29, 2005 Share Posted September 29, 2005 Relax! It'll be fast paced, a few "Mind Games" that will cause you to stop and think (now that I've been through it I can see why it was done-at the time I was a bit clueless!) As the others have said, get to know your PAtrol members (and even maybe stoop to get to know the other lesser PAtrol Members ) Good contacts for your later Scouting career! At LEast your weather should be better than when I went! Hot, muggy and raining; typical Spring in Middle Georgia. Learn the words to the "Gilwell Song"; it'll be sung a lot! Used (and still am!) a Beaver! Art SR-542 Link to post Share on other sites
jr56 92 Posted September 29, 2005 Share Posted September 29, 2005 Wood Badge is fast paced, but you will enjoy every minute of it. I was really pumped up after every weekend, no way was I tired. Good luck and enjoy. I used to be a Fox. C-11-96 Link to post Share on other sites
Eamonn 61 Posted September 30, 2005 Share Posted September 30, 2005 By now you are more than lightly on your way. The experience is by design intense and the schedule is hectic. I think that there is way too much sitting on day one, but I never was one to sit still. If you can go with an open mind. Remember that it is not a Boy Scout Course, but a Leadership course and do your best to be a team player. There should be no need for jitters. If you have been fortunate enough to have gone through the high priced Leadership and Management workshops and seminars, please give the staff a break. They are volunteers and not earning what the guys who present the workshops earn for presenting and in most cases they don't have the same equipment. The last course my company send me to cost over $4,000.00, most Wood Badge courses are in the $200.00 range. Eamonn. Link to post Share on other sites
StormingBuffalo 10 Posted October 1, 2005 Share Posted October 1, 2005 You've already heard some great responses. When I attended Wood Badge, I felt intimidated because the vast majority of the participants were in boy scouting, versus cub scouting or venturing. As a cub scouter, I didn't feel I could "compete" with some of these people who had been with the program for 10 years. However, as we began our program as cub scouts, I found that the boy scouters didn't know the cub promise, and that my experience with cub scouts offered my patrol a perspective that others simply didn't have. Understand that you offer a perspective or other gifts that other people don't have and could use, and be open to seeing the gifts others offer as well. That's the kind of attitude that will serve you well at Wood Badge. Staying "loose" is some other good advice you've received. There seem to be some little mind games going on that I wasn't fond of, but we were able to get past that, partially with a little subtle sarcasm and I got through it. I would be interested in reading your reflections after your first weekend. Good luck! Storming Buffalo C-16-03 Link to post Share on other sites
Eagle309 10 Posted October 3, 2005 Author Share Posted October 3, 2005 I made it back. As you said, we did a lot but there wasn't the multitasking level and pressure level there is at work, so it wasn't bad at all. As some posters said, the leadership theory stuff was mostly review, but the good thing is we put it to use right there and then. I'm a Buffalo! Link to post Share on other sites
John-in-KC 311 Posted October 3, 2005 Share Posted October 3, 2005 Three patrol yells done by our Buffalo" "THE FEW...THE PROUD...THE BUFFALO" (This was the first time this course site had EVER had a Buffalo patrol) "HOT WINGS!!!" "WE'RE VEGETARIAN" Have fun on the intersession work and the campout. John ... a good old Owl Link to post Share on other sites
StormingBuffalo 10 Posted October 6, 2005 Share Posted October 6, 2005 Eagle309 Glad you had such a good weekend. It's not always so hectic, though our SPL seemed to relish going over items so quickly in patrol meetings, that the stress level just seemed to rise with the minutes. I'm also glad you're a Buffalo! Good luck as you continue your mountaintop experience. F. J. C-16-03 Link to post Share on other sites
schleining 11 Posted October 12, 2005 Share Posted October 12, 2005 Don't worry- Wood badge will be the greatest experience in your Scouting life. Gilwell is in fact a happy land... Enjoy time spent with your Patrol and soak in the experience. I used to be a BEAVER... and a Good 'Ol Beaver too.. Jerry Link to post Share on other sites
John-in-KC 311 Posted October 13, 2005 Share Posted October 13, 2005 What Jerry said ... especially as we cooked our 1st night campout dinner: BBQ Chicken (47 cents a pound) Dutch oven biscuits Dutch oven apple crisp Veggies We ate WELL! Let us know how your campout went! John A Good old Owl C-40-05 Working my ticket Link to post Share on other sites
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