Peaks and Valleys

I joined St. Albans as an A Former along with six other students. When the school year began, it was quite difficult to adjust to my new surroundings. For example, learning how to study for tests and quizzes was a big challenge. At my old school, I never had to study for assessments and letter grades were nonexistent; the best grade was ES, which stood for “exceeding standards.” Unfortunately for me, the rest of my class, or at least some of members, already knew how to prepare for a test. I didn’t know what I needed to prepare for or how the grading system worked. I often over-prepared for quizzes and didn’t prepare enough for tests. This was problematic. Another example: I barely knew anyone. Other than in sports or lunch, I wasn’t able to get to know anyone outside of my homeroom. It was hard to find my place in the class.

However, once I got to Form I, being a new student was no longer a challenge. Larger and more important tests and quizzes required me to learn how to study more efficiently. Also, I was able to make stronger friendships as I got to know more people in the rotating class periods (rather than just homeroom). The small advisory groups, along with the parties we have, were and still are, a great place to relax, study, and talk with your classmates about school life.

Then came Form II. This year, I have learned what it means to work smarter, not harder, as Dr. Schiller says. I have plenty of friends now, and I can officially say that I have found my place at St. Albans.

For every single person in the world, there will be peaks and valleys, just as there were for me in my adjustment to St. Albans. At the peaks, all of your concerns are in the distance; while in the valleys, it seems as if you will never be able to escape your problems. Most people, when they get low, will start to stress out that they will never finish their homework or will fail their test. But how do you remember to climb up the mountain? Ironically, stepping outside of the busyness and taking your mind off of what is stressing you out will calm you down. It will help you focus better when you return to your work.

Almost every day, you already are doing two things that help you reset your focus: lunch and chapel. Lunch in the refectory is placed perfectly in the middle of all of your classes. Take the time to relax and re-energize yourself. Instead of reviewing a study guide, take the time to get to know your table master and the other students at your table so that you can be calm and collected during the test. In chapel, the silence of prayer and singing hymns allows you to be mindful of your body and your surroundings and helps calm your mind at the beginning of the day.

However, for most of us, we need more than those two calm spots in the day. We need activities that take our mind off the stress of schoolwork. During the valley of my having to adjust to a new school in A Form, you might have thought that I would not enjoy it here very much. But I was able to climb out of the valley by taking advantage of different activities around the school. I became a library intern that year. Other than learning how to sort books, clean Chromebooks, and enjoy one of the most relaxing places on campus, I found fun activities that helped make my experience at St. Albans better during the first few months. This, along with CBA Chorus and book clubs, helped take my mind off my issues.

In Form II, even though the struggles of A Form have mostly gone away, the stress of harder classes and busier days still resides within me. The passage we just read says, “Do not worry about your life ... consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these.” Being outside in nature also helps me regain perspective. A few years ago, I was taking a hike in the Virginia mountains with my family. Unfortunately, we took a wrong turn and ended up on the properly named “strenuous trail.” My sister complained the entire time. I’m not kidding. Despite this, I realized how incredible God’s creation can be. The blooming flowers, the singing birds, the warm weather, and the blue sky astounded me. Ever since then, I have found that I love to take hikes in every season and see what nature has to give us. Even when I have a history test the next day, I love to take small hikes with my dog to help calm me down. The fresh air and the occasional duck which I see on a small stream near my house help me focus when I get home. Even if you loathe hiking like my sister, simply going outside into nature and being in the fresh air, whether it be for sports or eating dinner outside with your family, will help you overcome any adversity that may come your way.

Along with nature, God created friends. We are incredibly social beings and are hard-wired to depend on one another for support, entertainment, and hundreds of other things. Despite this, our fragile relationships with one another can easily be broken when people disrespect one another by teasing them for their differences or mistakes. Though a lot of this may be disguised as a joke, your friends might still take offense from these words. You will never know what problems someone might be facing, and teasing them will only make it worse. Even though you may be on the peak of the mountain, look out and remember that valleys might be all around you. When hard times come, you will need friends to help you climb up the mountain. Your disrespect may lose your friends right when you need them. Overcoming problems and climbing back up the mountain takes effort. Even though it may seem like you will never be able to solve all your problems, remember to step outside the stress and seek support from your friends.