In my eyes, CAS is a chance to expand and take our learning far beyond the walls of a classroom. Getting the opportunity to develop our skills in the aspects of creativity, activity, and service will not only deepen our understanding of those areas but also help us grow as an individual. I believe that this CAS blog will be a useful way of keeping track of all the experiences I will undergo over the course of the next two years and a good form of being able to reflect on such encounters. Down below I have written my goals for the DP1 school year in regards to those three aspects.
CREATIVITY
This year I’m going to be joining a club which I wouldn’t have ever thought I’d be volunteering to be a part of. I’m going to be participating in the Meditative Coloring group. I’m usually one to be very active and outgoing and to join a group such as a school production. Despite my love for that area, I also think it’s important to take a break, whether it be mental or physical, or in this case both, in order to meditate and bring peace to the mind in the form of coloring. I never thought these types of ideologies of peace and mediation would have a noticeable effect on me, but after having had only two sessions, I can already tell that it’s effective in the sense of relieving my stress. Therefore, my goal in terms of creativity this year is to effectively reduce my stress and find a peace of mind through coloring; I wish to always remain focused during that one hour a week in order to truly benefit from all the advantages that meditation has proven to have on individuals.
ACTIVITY
Being new to OSC this year, my main goal in terms of activity is to join a SAISA sports team and compete with it. Coming from multiple international schools previously, I’m used to the whole basis of seasonal sports and traveling for competitions. But more than the physical aspects of the sports, I’m also used to the team bonding experiences that come with it, which is what I’m most looking forward to doing and hopefully becoming a part of. Sports have always been one of my passions. Growing up around the world has given me the opportunity to try out pretty much any sport that I could’ve ever imagined, and it gave me a taste of what sports I could potentially excel at when I’m older as well as those that weren’t so viable. In the past two years, I have enjoyed participating in Volleyball, Soccer, Track and Field and Badminton, and I’m happy to know that they’re all offered here at OSC as part of the SAISA tournament. I can’t wait to see where my DP-1 experience goes in terms of sports!
SERVICE
Having lived in India for three years, I’m very familiar with the concept of service and what it means to use your voice, power, and resources in order to help those around you. Therefore, I was very excited to know that service forms a big part of this school. For the past three years, I have been working with less fortunate kids in many different aspects. I decided to continue working with kids this year, seeing as it’s something I truly enjoy and am able to benefit from. I signed up for Gecko Inc. as my service group and I’m quite content with my decision. It gives me the opportunity to work with kids in an area that expands beyond the walls of a classroom and gives us a more interactive site to play and build upon. My goal for service this year is to commit to my service group by showing up and being proactive every time I’m there in order to really teach the kids how to swim and hopefully make a difference in their lives, as small as it may be.