During a persistent pandemic, it has proved vital to stay active and take care of my physical health, which in turn benefits my mental health. While in a normal school year, I would hope for SAISA’s or sports in school, the pandemic has pushed us to be more creative in our attempts to stay active. For me, throughout the summer, and into this new school year, I have a routine of working out every day which is something I have maintained throughout my school career having been part of many sports teams. Of course I have my rest days, but this period I have really focused on pushing myself to dedicate a substantial time period every day to working on my general fitness, strength and flexibility. In addition to taking up a new activity, dancing, I have continued to run, walk, bike and swim, as well as push myself through home workouts which are high intensity.

Dance – In terms of dance, this is always a skill I have wanted to accomplish because as someone highly invested in music and performance, I feel it is a really crucial part of a performers skill set. So I decided to take up dance classes, which have proven to be extremely enjoyable, and a completely different endorphin releasing activity to anything I have done before. I’ve realised it requires the training of many muscles which I often don’t use, and a focus on being more aware of the body, as well as overall good strength in all parts of the body (core, legs, arms etc.). I began with a weekly group contemporary dance class prior to the situation in Sri Lanka worsening and leading into a lockdown. It was then that I started participating in some morning sessions and workshops online, followed by a bi-weekly individual class which I have really enjoyed. I learnt that my lower body and core strength are really good, which is logical considering majority of my workouts and sporting interests focus on these parts, but my upper body has always been quite weak. Having a stronger upper body is really important in being able to hold yourself up for dance, which I learnt very fast. My goal is to continue working on the skill set, as well as the exercises taught by my teacher, to become more confident in this skill and also have better overall control over my different muscles, as isolating muscles is crucial in effective dancing.

LO2: Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills in the process A new challenge may be an unfamiliar experience or an extension of an existing one. The newly acquired or developed skills may be shown through experiences that the student has not previously undertaken or through increased expertise in an established area.

This is a new skill and challenge which I have undergone, and hope to continue to improve upon!

Running – I took a long break from running at the start of this year, often replacing it with at home workouts and alternate exercises. However I recently felt more like getting out in the fresh air, and stretching out during my workouts, so I decided running would be a great way to clear my mind and train my body. I have really been enjoying these runs, which are often not long (around 3-4km) because they are really good for my mental health and clear my mind. It is great to get out of the house, and it also a really effective workout, because it does not take long but it helps in many ways. It improves my overall stamina, and I usually follow a run with some sort of at-home workout, or a swim, so it allows me to dedicate a good period of time to exercise. I have also recently found I much prefer exercising outdoors than inside, especially considering our entire school days are from our desks and bedrooms. It’s a great breath of fresh air. My goal is to run at least 3/4 times a week, and try improve the distances I go.

LO4: Show commitment to and perseverance in CAS experiences Students demonstrate regular involvement and active engagement in CAS

I’ve run throughout my school career, and this is the continuation of this routine.

Biking- I love biking because I can explore different areas, release endorphins, and go with friends and family which is overall a fun and beneficial experience. These bike rides range from rides through rubber estates, to canals, to simply a quick ride around our neighbourhood lake and some nearby hills. They usually range from 25km (if its a hilly route!) all the way up to 50km somedays. These are a rarer workout for me, because I usually set aside a substantial chunk of time for a good bike ride, but otherwise I like to hop on my bike and ride around the neighbourhoods. There is a hill in a loop which my brother and I often speed up, which is fun and effective. I hope to continue more regular bike rides, and go with my dad towards new routes.

LO5 : Demonstrate the skills and recognise the benefits of working collaboratively Students are able to identify, demonstrate and critically discuss the benefits and challenges of collaboration gained through CAS experiences.

Biking is a skill beneficial for mental and physical health, and undergoing this activity with friends and family is even more beneficial for social health.

Swimming – I am very grateful to have a pool at home, and as such I try to use it whenever possible, wether it be in between classes, in the morning, before dinner, or just in the afternoon. This is often more of a wellness activity for me, so while I do laps every time to work on fitness and raise my heart rate, I also dedicate time during my swims to relax, and usually clean the fallen leaves out of the pool which is nice. I hope to continue regular swims because I find they effectively help me reset my days, and clear my mind. I often spend a lot of time perfecting work and in DP2 the workload is particularly exhausting, so I’ve found it is very important for me to create this break in the day.

LO1: Identify own strengths and develop areas for growth. Students are able to see themselves as individuals with various abilities and skills, of which some are more developed than others.

One of my strengths is definitely my commitment to an active lifestyle, but something I need to improve on is the tendency towards perfectionism or over intensity. This helps me manage stress levels and create a break in a hectic day.

Hiking and more ! – My family and I all love to hike when we are on trips, which we were able to do over the summer break. This included various walks in Kandy when we went to visit my grand parents. We also hiked Ella Rock and different routes in Avisawella. I hope to continue the exploration of new routes, and endorphin releasing activities with my family and friends.

LO5 : Demonstrate the skills and recognised the benefits of working collaboratively Students are able to identify, demonstrate and critically discuss the benefits and challenges of collaboration gained through CAS experiences.