I had classmates in high school who, shamefully, looked down on some people in our school because they were in a less rigorous academic program, or didn’t act/look like them (which to them meant that they were less smart, less capable). That kind of attitude really frustrated me because these peers of mine (who thankfully were a minority in their opinions) tended to be from families who were well-off and whose parents, unlike that of a lot of the students in our school who weren’t well-off financially, had stable jobs and had a comfortable salary. I’m not saying that everyone who comes from an affluent family condones to this “let’s look down at everyone who isn’t like us” behavior, only that there was a minority of students who failed to see things from the perspective of someone whose conditions in life aren’t so good. They couldn’t see that for some of these students they looked down on, home isn’t always that stable, family life isn’t always so harmonious, and money, especially, wasn’t abundant. Those kind of conditions aren’t exactly conducive to a good studying environment, or just an environment to grow up in general, so why look down on someone for situations they (often) aren’t culpable of?
- Allyson
Archive for the ‘High School’ Category
A Little Bit of Perspective
Wednesday, August 25th, 2010
Back to School
Sunday, August 22nd, 2010
Summer is coming to a close and those pre-school year butterflies may be coming up. The new school year means seeing friends again, another year closer to graduation, and some new expectations. More work, new tests, and different teachers can be a little overwhelming especially when throwing parents/home into the mix. It’s a time when school, home, and friends have to be juggled once again and that is often not a very easy task. One thing that may help ease the pressure to be your best is to take some time for yourself. Schedule a time at least once a week when work, family, and friends are put aside. Use this time to think and relax alone, being unclouded by pressure from anyone else. This “me-time” can help clear any negativity or stress from your mind and allow you to enjoy being young in a time when everyone expects so much.
- Ruben
Being Bullied
Wednesday, August 4th, 2010
In just a few weeks, school will start again. Unfortunately for some kids, the cycle of torment that bullies effect on their lives begins as well. How can young people who face bullying at school respond to and cope with bullying when school starts?
Report the bullying to an adult at school. It can be difficult to tell someone what you are going through, but in many cases when a trusted adult at school becomes involved, the bullying can be stopped or at least made better. More and more schools now have some policy or set of rules that keep bullying from blowing out of proportion.
What might be harder to stop is cyber-bullying, a form of harassment that occurs outside of school and on social-networking sites. If you are experiencing this, you may be able to report such harassment to the people who run the sites. There are often options on such sites as Facebook to block users who are harassing you in some way.
- Allyson
You Don’t Know Me
Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010
Think you really know someone because they're in band? Think again.
I’ll admit that when I first tuned in to watch MTV’s newest show, “If You Really Knew Me”, I was more interest in hearing what tragedies plagued complete strangers. I know that it may not be the healthiest habit, but I’m a nosy person.
Halfway through the premiere episode I saw the true purpose of the show and the Challenge Day program. For those unfamiliar with this program, the entire event takes place in a high school gym in place of a regular school day, and students are asked to participate in exercises designed to unite students on a much deeper level than high school cliques. Jock, mean girl, nerd, band geek, and freak are commonplace labels associated with students and this segregation continues to be a staple in every high school across the country. What this show allows is for students to disregard cliques and realize that they are all people.
This may not seem like a huge realization, but in a world ruled by gossip and teasing seeing students, as people can be hard. I liked the show for really opening the students’ eyes to just how similar they all are outside the labels. In high school, everyone projects an image specifically for the purpose to hide any insecurities or troubles they may have, which can lead to insensitive behavior amongst teenagers. This program shows the wounds that teens have from their life outside of school and helps create a sanctuary at school. How would you finish this statement, “if you really knew me…” and would you be comfortable saying it in a room of your fellow students?
- Ruben