Maria Pătcaș, 11B
Activities can become a great way to spend time outside of school and learn many different types of skills. Taking the initiative to start your own club can be scary and overwhelming and may sometimes seem impossible. Still, most of the time, it only takes determination and true passion to do it.
Starting an activity and introducing it to your school or even to outsiders can have many different benefits. It teaches great organizational skills and helps you auto-evaluate just how capable you are of running your own club - and maybe even a future business. It also involves communicating with others because such an activity cannot be a “one-man show.” Essentially, you have to make connections with others that might be of help since associating with the right people can improve your chances of success, easing the stress and anxiety of taking care of everything alone. You also have to know when to draw the line between cooperation and straight-up manipulation of one associate by the other. Even if the whole extracurricular doesn’t seem like a big deal, you still should be surrounded by people who want what’s best for you and your activity.
Moreover, another beneficial aspect of becoming the “owner” of an extracurricular club is the gateway it opens for your future. It is tremendously appreciated by universities and maybe even companies, not only because it shows your determination in that subject but because it also highlights your capacity of understanding interpersonal relations and how the real world works.
For example, I would like to tell you how I came up with the idea of bringing back the school’s theatre club, officially called “Scenestetic.” I had wanted to be a part of this activity and start it up for almost two years, but I was doubtful about it and did not really share my idea with anybody. I kept making lists of pros and cons, and in my mind, this idea seemed very unrealistic. Besides being very busy with school, I kept telling myself I couldn't do it well. All of that changed when I got to participate in a theatre camp in June organized by IdeoIdeis (Instagram: @ideoideis), which completely changed my thoughts about starting this activity. There, I learned I needed to focus on my inner child more and let go of the fears holding me back from doing what I loved. From that moment on, I talked to multiple people about my idea. I got my word out just enough so I could get the support I needed. Iustin Băbău (11C) has also been a part of this experience, and together, we cast auditions and built up our wonderful team.
Today, we are a small family that has already shared some pleasant experiences. We have made a short play for the Christmas Celebration at the school and a short movie for an anti-drug project (feel free to watch it at this link: https://youtu.be/81RFTBfwdDo). Now, I can say that I am proud of myself for putting that fear behind me because, even if the club is very new, it has already taught me so much that I wouldn’t have ever discovered about theatre and working with others, as well as getting my opinions and views heard.
To sum up, starting an extracurricular activity can be difficult sometimes because, at the end of the day, the concept of interaction with others is rather difficult, but if there is passion and a genuine desire to achieve what you have in mind, then the process of becoming a leader consists of small steps that anyone can take. It is a matter of how well you can organize people and thoughts, how you get your message through to someone, and how effectively you can collaborate with others. After that, it’s mostly fun and getting to do what you love, with occasional setbacks, of course. I recommend doing this from the bottom of my heart!
Make sure you come to see us at our first show as “Scenestetic” soon! Details will be up on Instagram (@cse.cnmn) and in school!