Day's Like Today

            Day's like today are the reason I live. In my life I am constantly striving to help others, help them learn, grow, and then to eventually become leaders themselves. Today I made my last journey to freshmen orientation to try to make a change for the better in the students at Seymour High School. I would like to start off by saying that we were all there at one point, we all sat through what seemed to be a meaningless orientation our freshman year as our parents tried to plan the next four years of our life, and because we had just come from the top of the totem pole down at the middle school, we thought we were at the top here too. Well, turns out we were wrong, but that's not my point. I want to mention that yes, today leading the freshmen in my group was frustrating at times, but also very rewarding in many aspects. Just like some of us got frustrated with them, people too got frustrated with us when we were there, so regardless of what we have to say about the frustration and the people who made the choice not to cooperate, we were them. I said it was frustrating. It was. Two people, leading 8-12 freshman can be a little overwhelming at times, but my job isn't to get frustrated. My job is to make an attempt with all my might to make it fun, meaningful, and helpful to them. I accomplish this by giving it my all, and I love it. It is 100% worth it to make a goof ball out of myself by playing "Simon Says" and screwing up, and playing E-I-E-I-O because at one point or another someone is going to see that and hopefully they will realize just what fun these easy games can be, but only if you make them fun.
         Previously I mentioned that this experience was also rewarding. It is, more rewarding this year than my Junior year because this year I got to see multiple freshmen in my group hit that wall where they realize "Oh crap, I don't know how to read my schedule, and why does this say I have two first hours" or "Wait, my friend doesn't have lunch at the same time I do, does this mean I am alone" and when this moment hits them, that's where I step in and explain, or at least, do the best I can. You do feel like a tour guide for portions of it and you do have to repeat things you know that these students already know. A huge thank you to my best friend, Jonny, for still listening and "finding" his classes even though he knew most of what I was talking about and wasn't nearly as lost as the rest of the students. There is also a moment where high school seems like a lot of rules, but later you realize it's more like a scary wave of freedom, but these moments are sometimes the most valuable. All of these freshmen have potential, I know they do, but there are some who need to learn a little more about the No-H8 campaign that goes on around our school district. Again, we were there. I know what it is like to make poor choices, so all I ask is that if you are a freshmen reading this now, the least you can do is be kind to one another. As a matter of fact I said something today that even I learned from and the quote I said goes as follows, "Just worry about you, not about the people around you, you don't have to be friends, you just have to get along." Think about that. You don't have to be friends, you just have to get along. Wow.
          Frustrating or not, helping these freshman and new students is what I live for as a leader. We are all leader and we are all called to do something and I love helping the new people, to show them that they too will eventually get the hang of it, and I especially like helping those who don't think they can do it because I know they can. Many of these freshman made comments of how they wanted to go home and this wasn't fun etc, but you know what? I ignore that because when I was a freshman, I didn't have a STEP Crew, or a LINK Crew. Nope, I was thrown in the mix along side everybody else and told to use a map to find my classes. That is why I put so much into this STEP Crew idea because it's something I wish I would have had. Sure, maybe just getting thrown in was just as easy, but it was a lot less comfortable. One thing I ask of those below me who will be upperclassmen in future years is this, apply for STEP Crew, help out those below you because I've said it already and I'll say it again, you were there. Do it because I did it to help you. A common phrase is "how can i repay you," ladies and gentlemen, the way you can repay me is to do what I did for you to those below you. Be a leader. Try, and if you fall 7 times get back up 8 because its worth it. A special thanks to my group, and my helpful STEP Crew partner and all the teachers, principals, and administrators that have put so much work and effort into making Seymour High School a better place! Go Thunder!!

Keep Calm and Visit "Home" 
Where ever that may be for YOU! 

A.B