For families considering the Canberra Girls Grammar School (CGGS) Boarding House, the most common question asked is “what does a typical day for a boarder look like?”.
Located just one kilometre from Parliament House in the heart of the nation’s capital, the Boarding House at CGGS, or ‘BoHo’ as it is affectionately named, is Canberra’s only exclusively female Boarding House. Located on a picturesque corner of the School’s Senior campus, the heritage-listed House is minutes from Australia’s national institutions, high-performance sport facilities, Embassies, High Commissions and Federal Government departments.
With a world of possibility available right at their doorstep, generations of women have learnt and led, navigated change and challenges and formed lifelong bonds, emerging empowered and independent.
Parents enrolling their daughter in the Boarding House are often based in regional and rural parts of NSW—only a few hours away from the formative experiences and transformational changes that are shaped through a CGGS education. We recently spoke with Year 12 student and boarder, Marianna, who gave us insight into what a typical a day in the life of a boarder looks like.
Read on and experience a 100-year legacy of educational excellence, connection and opportunity—through a day in the life of a boarder.
6am
I set my first alarm at 6am. It’s early—but it needs to be. I like to have a slow morning, but sometimes I have Music lessons on, so I give myself extra time to prepare for the day ahead.
I’ll get ready, pop my uniform on and pack my bag for the day, making sure I have my books, diary, laptop, pencil case and some snacks.
Then I’ll head downstairs and will usually have the hot breakfast, especially if it’s bacon and eggs!
Like clockwork each morning, Miss Mazumdar does her morning announcement, reminding us of the day, date, week and, most importantly, how long we have until we need to head to class. As the BoHo is located right on the Senior Campus, it is just a few minutes’ walk to class. I leave at 8.30am if I don’t have anything else on, and make sure to chat with the Boarding House Supervisor at the door before heading off to School. Without fail, they always leave me with a “Have a good day!”
8.50am
It’s time to start classes, with Period 1 beginning at 8.50. I love all my subjects, so whether I have English, Psychology or Music, it’s a good start to the day. I particularly love Psychology, as the teachers are very enthusiastic and deliver the content in a way that makes it easy to understand, despite the complex topics. It is also very different to my other electives (Music and Drama) which makes my day feel a little more balanced.
Music and Drama are both fun subjects which allow me to explore my creativity, but they also have strong techniques that we can explore in classes. English (Literature) is an interesting class in which we are encouraged to use our critical thinking. We explore ideas relating to the human experience, looking at pieces of literature from a range of authors and time periods, and we get the chance to select our own texts as well. Maths (Methods) is very different again. I find the topics interesting, and my teacher is always willing to help me through difficult portions of content.
10.50am
Next, it’s Recess, which means that it’s time to head to my locker. I collect my food, hat and anything else I need for my classes before I sit down with my friends for a break. We chat about anything and everything—events happening, assessments and take the chance to decompress.
11.15am
After Recess, we have Tutor Group, which is a little like homeroom—it’s often where we share information and get support. Tutor Groups are combined for Years 8–12 and allow students from younger years to become more comfortable with the older years and ask for help or advice. I get to spend time with other people in my House, and form connections between year groups. For seniors, it’s a time where we can relax and talk to people who aren’t in our classes. I love Tutor Group as I’ve made friends with a lot of students that I wouldn’t have otherwise had the chance to talk to, and my Tutor, Mrs Thomson, is lovely too!
12.35pm
We have Period 3 after Tutor Group, and then it’s time for lunch. As a boarder, I head back toward the Boarding House to grab my lunch from the catering staff. We get to pick our lunches off a menu day-to-day. My favourite boarding lunch is easily the spaghetti. At lunch, any number of activities can happen. Some days, it’s a chance to relax and spend time with my friends. Other days, I have rehearsals for various co-curriculars. But almost every week we have special events run for all students at the School—‘Positivi-TEA’ Day, hobby horse races or events organised by Houses in the School. Each House sponsors a charity, and runs a week of activities, finishing with charity markets. These markets raise funds for various causes, with the most recent being Glebe House’s RUOK Day. At the markets, there are a variety of food stalls and activities, operated by Tutor Groups to raise funds to support the local community.
3.20pm
After School, I often have co-curricular activities for Music or Drama. This includes rehearsing with other students under the instruction of a specialised instructor. Co-curricular instructors are enthusiastic, creating an environment which is welcoming and enjoyable. Some co-curriculars are short, lasting about an hour, but during my involvement in the School Musical, after-school activities can be as long as two or three hours (with breaks of course). There are also opportunities for participation in sport, with Netball being one of the most popular for boarders. Alot of this is right here on campus, but the Boarding staff are amazing at organising transport to get us where we need to be.
6pm
I reconnect with the other boarders over dinner from 6-6.30 pm, allowing us to chat and catch up with people we may not have seen that day. During the warmer months, some of us choose to sit outside for a change of scenery, although the Dining Hall is beautiful.
During the week, we have Prep, which is allocated supervised study time. As a Year 12 student, I do around two hours of study each night, but younger years are only required to do an hour. Boarding Supervisors will also check if we need help, and those with subject area specialties such as Maths or Science are in high demand during Prep. On nights where we don’t have School the next day, our Captains or the staff may organise an activity—for example, a bus run to Manuka to fuel up on snacks, a movie night in the Boarders’ Sitting Room with popcorn and lollies or Just Dance. When I choose to stay in the Boarding House over the weekend, these activities allow for some fun with everyone else in the Boarding House, but they’re always optional, so I can either hang out with the other girls or go elsewhere for a bit of downtime.
8pm
After study, I might watch some TV or do something a little more productive like iron my uniforms, wash my clothes or set up my work for classes to come. I try not to stay up too late, so when staff come around to say goodnight I like to be almost ready to go to bed. For me, this happens at about 10.15pm, but for Year 7 students lights out is at 9pm. I check that my alarm is set for the next morning and go to bed, ready for another day.
To find out more about the CGGS boarding experience visit cggs.act.edu.au/boarding.
Interested in exploring CGGS yourself? You can catch us at our first Open Day of 2026 on Thursday 30 April by registering at cggs.act.edu.au/visit-us.
Founded in 1926, Canberra Girls’ Grammar School (CGGS) is an Independent Anglican School comprising a co-educational Early Learning Centre, a […]