Sian Maher |
Popularity and status tends to consume us for the majority of our school career, and sometimes it actually overtakes our total mentality towards school life and completely alters our overall outlook on a lot of things. We should not be divisible into different categories. However, it appears inevitable in every school.
“Stick to the stuff you know, if you wanna be cool, follow one simple rule, don’t mess with the flow, no no.” These are the lyrics of a thought provoking and charismatic song written by David Lawrence and Faye Greenberg which urge the listener to reflect on the crucial issue that is social conflict between school students. Although being taken from the very popular Disney film, High School Musical, and although I may be mocking the fun, and very serious, senior responsibility that is critical essays, there is an underlying truth of the sociality within a school community.
From a young age we are introduced into a very important and sometimes very uncomfortable adult situation which sets us up for the rest of our lives. With independence being difficult to accept, not all of us have the best of starts.
Making friends doesn’t always come as naturally to some as it does others and, personally, I found it to be extremely difficult. As I entered my first year at St Andrews and St Brides, I found the divisible groups to be much more pronounced: “The Populars”, “The Inbetweens”,”The Unpopulars“.
My thoughts and comparisons consumed me- with my social status sometimes being more important than my actual school work. However, now, I look back on the younger me and wish I hadn’t cared- school is much more than just your social definition and your social definition is much less than anything you should take as a valid regard.
