Creativity

• Performing Arts

Winter Play 2016; Beauty and the Beast

In my opinion, creative activities are the best way to relieve stress. For that purpose, I do performing arts at Mystical Rose International Institute in Rajagiriya. My goal is to participate in talent fiesta and examinations and achieve international awards. I’ve been doing performing arts since I was about 10 years. I started performing arts not for stress relieving but with the entire purpose of having fun. It provides you with so many chances to have fun and enjoy yourself. You try to act out some celebrities, you have group plays, you play games, you organize drama competitions, you rehearse for talent fiestas day and night….and it’s so much fun. But also on the way you get to learn about famous playwrights, their motivations and also about the great literary eras. And all these years I’ve participated in so many events and learnt many things regarding drama and theater. Through this, I’ve also learned to balance my life in a productive way and manage my time accordingly. And I’ve made new friends; new connections. So I think that it has helped my social life as well. I’ve won many awards for poetry, public speaking and theatre. I have also been a part of plays like ‘The Beauty and the Beast’, ‘Horton’. Moreover, I have been engaging in individual acting including Shakespeare. I ‘ve completed up to Grade 8 in LCM exams and currently, I’m working on my diploma in Speech and drama. I will be taking my exam in 2020 and I hope to prepare well and do my best. Although I started performing for fun and pleasure as time passed it has become more than that. Now it has also become my stress reliever. With the increasing workload each year I sometimes found it hard to attend all classes and there was a time during which I had to temporarily stop performing. I have to say it was one of the worst moments. Afterward, I felt more stressed. That was when I realized that doing what you like relieves your stress. I started performing again and it certainly helped me. During acting, you don’t think about school or homework or due assignments. You enjoy the moment. This year as I joined OSC, it was a whole new world for me. The work was different, the school hours were long, we got a lot of homework and I almost felt like giving up. But performing arts helped me to relax my mind and laugh my head out. Once my mind was relaxed I was able to do all the due work. I suppose that this situation will prevail all this year along and aid me to do my DP1 well.

• Traditional dancing.

Other than performing the other thing I enjoy is dancing. I study Traditional dancing. It is also considered as an icon in Sri Lanka. My goal is to do well at traditional dancing in par with my academics. I’ve been dancing since I was in grade 3. I have participated in school concerts, other events and competitions. I studied dancing as a school subject until grade 9. I had to stop dancing for one year when I faced my G.C.E Ordinary Level examination because I had a very tight schedule. But now I’ve started dancing once again. I love dancing so I hope to continue it alongside my studies and all other extra-curricular work.

Annual School Concert 2018 at Sujatha Vidyalaya

Activity

• Netball

In my opinion, engaging in some active work is the best way to stay healthy. So including ACTIVITY in CAS is a good thing done by OSC. I engage in Netball. My goal is to get better at playing Netball and to attend practices every month. I played for the school Netball team in my previous school for about 3 years. I’ve also competed against other Sri Lankan schools at National Netball Championships. Through the years I’ve learnt many things from Netball. As to how to accept victory and defeat in the same mindset, respect others’ opinions, leadership qualities etc. It is a lovely sport that is quite popular in Sri Lankan schools. I attend practices once a week and sometimes I’m unable to make it cause of school work and other things. So my goal is to attend practices regularly and eventually become better at it. Moreover, I play a field position so I am trying to improve my shooting skills as well. I think it will benefit me cause by then I can play any position in the game. Playing Netball has also helped to improve my physical fitness and stay healthy. Considering everything I think netball has rewarded me of which I have been unable to keep account of.

• Traditional dancing.

I think dancing also comes under activity because dancing requires a lot of hard work, dedication and practice. As a young girl, I love dancing and enjoy it. But even still there are some times you just can’t take it leisurely. Sometimes dancing becomes a sport, where you have to do your best to keep it going. e.g. Concerts. And in addition, dancing has also worked for me to stay healthy.

Service

• Girls for Girls.

Since this is my first year at OSC, the concept of service is quite an alien for me. But it is a really timely thing considering the current situation. And I find it really interesting because I have always enjoyed voluntary work. I joined the service group “Girls For Girls”, where we help and care for the sexually abused girls. As a group we play games with them and do whatever they seem to enjoy. And it is amazing how something small like designing a T-shirt can bring so much pleasure for them. So as for this year, my goal is to participate in every session and extend my fullest support. We have service sessions every week and I hope not to miss that. I really enjoy doing voluntary work. The opportunity to do so in my previous school was limited so I wish to get the best out of this. Since I enjoy these activities I think I can do my best to support the other members. I think we can work together to help the needy and also to improve our society.

Also one of my other goals is to bond with everyone in the service. As I joined OSC this year (2019) I don’t know most of the students. I think this is a good opportunity for me to make new friends. I believe that working together is the best way to get to know each other. So I hope that by the end of this year I would have made a lot of new bonds with people.