Читать книгу The High School Survival Guide - Jessica Holsman - Страница 13

I’ve always had a love for performing; getting up on stage, singing, dancing and acting in front of crowds of people. It’s no wonder I spent most of my teenage years pursuing a career in dance. Somehow, I continually managed to schedule my jazz, ballet and tap classes around my increasingly demanding school calendar. Looking back, some of my most treasured memories from school involved performing. In fact, one of my mother’s favorite stories to tell at the dinner table involves my first ever performance at my school soirée. I was six years old at the time and my class was asked to put on a short dance. Being my stubborn self and also unable to control the music and rhythm that was coursing through my little body, I decided to scrap the choreography my teacher had taught us and showcase my own dance moves halfway through the performance. There I was, bopping and grooving to the music, heading towards stage left and moving further and further away from my classmates! Lucky for me, the event has been documented in a series of photos, so that I will never forget it.

From my debut solo-esqué performance in first grade, to later choreographing the dances for my middle school play, being involved in different events was something that played a significant role in shaping my school experience. Every semester, the excitement and feelings of anticipation would resurface with each new application that was pinned on the school notice board. Sometimes, I was eager to make a specific role, however no role was too small to me. In fact, one year I was assigned the role of a lobster in a dance number that my drama teacher somehow viewed as an artistic take on the ten plagues in the story of Moses and the Pharaoh… Whatever the opportunity, my friends and I always jumped at the chance to be part of the school plays and one year, we even collaborated to write the script!

I didn’t just see these events as a chance to showcase my talents. They were opportunities to spend time with my closest friends and even form bonds with other students; students that I wouldn’t have normally socialized with during my lunch breaks when my friends and I would sit on the benches and catch up on the latest news and dare I say, gossip. Sometimes, when rehearsals ran late into the evenings, we would all walk down the street and grab a bite to eat for dinner. Suddenly, age and gender didn’t matter anymore. That girl in the year below me whom I failed to take notice of, suddenly became one of my closest friends, while that boy in the year above me who I thought couldn’t possibly have known who I was, began showing a genuine interest and striking up conversations. I liked how sharing a common interest could always break down social barriers and lead to lasting friendships.

The Benefits Of School Spirit

The start of a new school year brings with it new and exciting opportunities! While it’s easy to forget when you’re staring at a pile of textbooks that are stacked up on your desk or feeling their full weight as you pick up your school bag, there is more to school than homework, studying and grades. School is meant to be fun! Your teachers want you to enjoy your final years of school and take with you positive memories that you will look back on and cherish. Sounds crazy right? Perhaps it is because there is such an enormous focus on getting good grades in order to get into a desirable college, that from time to time, extra-curricular activities and opportunities to show school spirit unfortunately get overlooked. Your time at school is limited, so make sure to take full advantage of everything your school has to offer. There are many opportunities to get involved and show school spirit, from performing in school plays, joining clubs and attending matches or games, to forming committees, entering competitions and hosting charity drives and school fêtes. Getting involved in a range of activities will benefit you in many ways and help to shape your experience at school. Ultimately, it’s up to you to take personal responsibility for how you plan on spending your final years at school. The choices you make regarding how you spend this time are a reflection of your overall perception of school and have the potential to influence your attitude towards your studies.

Work-Life Balance

Apart from taking pride in your school, taking advantage of all the opportunities that it has to offer outside of the classroom can also help you achieve a healthy work-life balance. Take it from someone who once had fallen victim to retreating into a little study cave for months on end only to reappear when that final assessment or exam was over! Re-directing your attention towards something other than your homework and exam calendar will remind you that there is more to school than what you learn in class. Allowing yourself to take even a little time out to do something besides studying will also help to keep you from getting burnt out during the year. You are allowed to give yourself a break from the books. In fact, you’ll likely notice yourself feeling more refreshed and ready to tackle your homework when you do!

Forming Friendships

The friendships and bonds you develop during school also play a significant role in shaping your experience. Making friends at school can however be more of a challenge for some than others. Whether you are new to the school, a little shy or things have gone south in your existing friendship circle, getting involved in a range of school activities is an excellent way to meet other students who share a common interest of yours. After all, it is a lot easier to start up a conversation with someone you know you already have something in common with! Personally, I felt grateful to have found a group of people who not only accepted but also encouraged me to pursue whatever I felt passionate towards. It certainly helped me to come out of my shell and feel more confident. I strongly believe that acceptance, coupled with encouragement, has the potential to be incredibly empowering.

Preparing For The Future

Whilst getting involved in school activities can help to create a positive learning environment and enrich your time at school overall, it also has the ability to prepare you for the real world. It provides you with an array of opportunities to explore and develop various skills, talents and traits that will serve you well in the future, regardless of your career choice. Even if you are unsure of exactly what it is that you want to do when you finish school, exposing yourself to numerous opportunities to get involved will no doubt come in handy. Rather than choosing to only take part in activities that you feel will directly assist you in progressing further down a particular career path, open yourself up to the possibility of taking part in something that genuinely sparks your interest. All skills you learn in school and throughout life for that matter are transferable. I may not have pursued a career in dance, but being a dancer and choreographer in my school plays taught me a lot about leadership and teamwork, two skills that are necessary and highly regarded in the workforce!

Igniting Your School Spirit

Perhaps you are eager to get involved but find yourself unsure of where to start, or maybe this is the first time that you have thought about taking part in a school activity or initiative? Now that I’ve covered a range of benefits associated with showing school spirit, it’s only fair that I also share my tips for getting involved! I recommend that you start by finding out what sort of opportunities your school provides for students to get involved and consider whether any of them interest you. Your teachers are often a great place to start because they will likely have a good idea of what is being offered. Then, to help you filter through the list of opportunities, consider not only the things that you enjoy, such as your hobbies, and the skills you possess, but also causes that you feel passionate towards. Choosing something that you feel strongly towards, means that you will feel personally invested and will be more likely to remain committed to it throughout the year.

While every school is different and may not offer the same opportunities for their students, it is always an option to think about starting up a new group or club and recruiting members. Starting something new shows initiative and also provides other students with an opportunity to get involved. When I was in high school, my best friend and I decided to raise money for a charity. After an intense class discussion about the fact that many children in developing countries are deprived of access to education, we decided to raise money to support an organization that helps to send many of these children to school. We ended up selling blue ribbons to our peers and teachers that were to be worn on their collars for the week, in an attempt to show their support for a cause we felt strongly towards. What started as two of us cutting and pinning ribbons in my bedroom, became something that more and more of my friends decided to get involved in.

If you don’t find yourself being internally pulled towards any particular cause, yet you are still looking for something to get involved in at school, then the school play is an excellent option! I used to think that to be part of the school play meant that you had to enjoy performing, however not everyone enjoys getting up on stage and shining under the spotlight in front of large numbers of people. The school play offers every kind of role, each with varying levels of commitment. Importantly, they don’t all require you to foster a love for performing. If you don’t mind getting your hands dirty and want to exercise your creativity, then helping out with designing the set is always a fun option! If you happen to be tech savvy, another important role is being in charge of the lighting and music. Speaking of music, did I mention that the school band plays an important role and is another way to get involved? I may not have been known for my musical talents at school, considering I did only learn how to play the piano up until the age of eleven, however for those of you who spend a significant portion of your time afterschool rehearsing your musical instrument, the school band is an excellent way to showcase your musical talents! Whatever role you choose, the school play is a microcosm for showcasing skills in creativity, writing, performing, technology and more!

Of course, watching and cheering for your peers on opening night is also a form of school spirit. Never underestimate the importance of showing up to support your school in all its events. Attending charity drives, your school fête or important matches and games are all ways of getting involved in all that your school has to offer. Just because you are not hosting, does not mean you are not helping! Being present and taking the time out of your busy study schedule to attend important events at school will leave you with lasting memories and help to create a sense of belonging.