The leadership retreat began early Friday morning with buses transporting final-year students to the luxury resort nestled in the hills. The place was beautiful manicured grounds, a sparkling lake, modern conference halls, and upscale cabins. Everyone else seemed thrilled. I felt like I was walking into a three-day trap.
We were divided into teams almost immediately.
Mia, Zara, and I ended up together with two other students who seemed decent enough. Sophia, of course, had maneuvered her way into a team with the strongest and most connected students. Julian was on a different team but kept finding excuses to hover near mine.
The first day focused on leadership exercises. The facilitators split us into groups for a series of outdoor challenges designed to test teamwork, decision-making,
