During my time at Canberra Grammar School, I have had the opportunity to be part of numerous co-curricular programmes including Tennis, Football, and Music. Through the combination of these disciplines, with my academics, I was taught numerous valuable skills that I’m sure will prove imperative in my future endeavours.
Engaging in tennis lessons with former co-ordinator Mr Ashley Hogan and Mr Reza Tompsett significantly enhanced my discipline and resilience. The rigorous training schedules embedded into early morning routines taught me the focus and dedication required to improve my game, teaching me the importance of perseverance and time management. Balancing my practice sessions with my academic workload has instilled in me the ability to prioritise tasks efficiently. The mental toughness developed on the tennis court translates seamlessly into my academic life, where I approach challenges with a strategic and determined mindset. I would say that this has helped me, particularly in my IB journey, wherein I understood the importance of feedback and its application in IAs.
Football, however, has been instrumental in developing my teamwork and leadership abilities. At first, I decided to pursue Football at CGS for fun, as I wanted a shift in focus during my last year, however, as I have finished the season, I can confidently say that I experienced much more than kicking a football with friends. I re-lived the techniques that I hadn’t used since I was 5 years old at a local football club, while learning new ones that probably wouldn’t suffice at that former level. I was taught the importance of perseverance at my first football trials, where I struggled to run the length of the field. A moment juxtaposed to today, where I can confidently play 90 minutes. Furthermore, I experienced the tangible importance of collaboration – I was welcomed into this new environment, which allowed me to learn the culture instilled in the programme. I was taught how to be part of a team; the importance of supporting one another, a lesson that is equally important in group projects and academic collaborations, allowing me to become ready for the world.
My involvement in music, particularly through my organ scholarship, has nurtured my creativity and attention to detail. Further to Tennis, it taught valuable skills like time management, evident in practices in the Chapel, either in person or through Zoom during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a piano player of more than 10 years, learning to play the organ required immense patience, more so than one would assume, as the brain-to-muscle relationship must be altered from that of the piano.
Patience, precision, and a deep understanding of complex compositions are a few of the skills my globally esteemed pedagogues Mr Christopher Wrench and Mr Phillip Swanton offered. This meticulous approach to music has sharpened my analytical skills, which are crucial in my academic studies. Additionally, the emotional expression and cultural appreciation gained from music have broadened my perspective, enriching my overall educational experience.
There is no doubt that the skills that I have learnt have also transferred into my academics. As I previously mentioned, perseverance is a skill I came across on my football journey; a skill undoubtedly imperative in one’s study. With the aid of my growth in confidence and self-belief through Senior School, I was able to achieve prizes I have worked towards since starting the IB. In the grand scheme of things, however, as pleasant as it is, these prizes dictate nothing.
It is the tangible skills that I have learnt that allow me to strive for personal excellence in my academics. During late-night study sessions for exams, I can think about the early Tennis and Organ mornings and say, “damn, it’s actually not so bad – imagine getting up at 5:00am the next morning”. It is the collaborative skills that I have learned from the array of co-curriculars I have been exceptionally privileged to learn from, skills that enhance my academics through the knowledge I acquire from my peers. I would not attribute one single activity to the skills I have learnt – no, it is their interconnectedness that consolidates or enhances a given skill; skills making me ready for the world.
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