Ah, the school trip. Long bus journeys, packed lunches and a chance to escape the shackles of the day-to-day routine.<\/p>\n
It has been a good 18 years since I last went on an excursion of this kind, but this weekend I\u2019ve signed up for my own school trip of sorts: an adult day out with the First Timers Club<\/a> (FTC).<\/p>\n Instead of a teacher, it\u2019s 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<\/a>, with a social media following of roughly 30,000 and chapters in Sydney and London.<\/p>\n Welcoming everyone, Jordan delivers news that any school child would be ecstatic to hear: \u201cThere\u2019s no rules today \u2026 Just have fun!\u201d<\/p>\n Chatter buzzes on the coach to Phillip Island. Photograph: Tom Gill<\/p>\n We\u2019ve met in Melbourne\u2019s inner north and are heading to Phillip Island for the annual Island Whale festival<\/a>, a celebration of the majestic creatures timed to coincide with their migration from Antarctica to warmer waters in the north.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s nice to try new activities that I wouldn\u2019t normally do solo. And having it all organised while meeting new people really takes the mental load out of it,\u201d says Julia Caissutti, 30, who has been to several FTC events.<\/p>\n Once on the coach I get talking with a lovely woman named Steph. Despite a distinct lack of caffeine and it being not long after 8am, chatter buzzes around us. It\u2019s a sharp contrast to the tram I took to the meeting point, where everyone was buried in their own worlds, barely making eye contact.<\/p>\n About an hour into the journey, we stop at Caldermeade Farm for a toilet break. At this point, it really does feel like a school trip: walking around petting farm animals, I feel as if I\u2019ve regressed about 25 years \u2013 not necessarily a bad thing.<\/p>\n \u2018Walking around petting farm animals, I feel as if I\u2019ve regressed about 25 years,\u2019 writes Tom Gill. Photograph: Daniel Bi\/@lensofb<\/p>\n After we leave the farm, the school comparisons end. We arrive in Phillip Island, dappled by the soft winter sun, and Jordan welcomes the group, gives us some background information, then invites us to go off and explore the town of Cowes unsupervised.<\/p>\n Left to roam free, I hang out with a group I got chatting to at the farm. We visit the stalls in the festival hub, then have lunch on the foreshore and try to spot some whales. Despite recent sightings, we don\u2019t have much luck, but the chat is more than enough entertainment. I\u2019m struck by everyone\u2019s warmth and friendliness.<\/p>\n \u201cTrying to meet new people as an adult is hard,\u201d says Ben Paz, 27. \u201cUsually if you join a community it can feel like it\u2019s already set and you\u2019re coming into their space. With this, everyone\u2019s on equal ground. It\u2019s so inclusive.\u201d<\/p>\n skip past newsletter promotion<\/a><\/p>\n Sign up to Saved for Later<\/p>\n Catch up on the fun stuff with Guardian Australia’s culture and lifestyle rundown of pop culture, trends and tips<\/p>\n Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy<\/a>. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy<\/a> and Terms of Service<\/a> apply.<\/p>\n after newsletter promotion<\/p>\n Later, I catch up with Jordan and ask how it\u2019s going. \u201cI have to remind myself everyone\u2019s an adult, they\u2019ll just go off and do their own thing,\u201d she says. \u201cEveryone who comes to these events is just so up for anything.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2018No one feels cheated by the lack of marine life.\u2019 Photograph: Daniel Bi\/@lensofb<\/p>\n