Sports-Less Day

Sports Day 2014

It is 24th of March 2015 and I am sensing an inherent lack of activity whilst dosing off in my first period math class. As I sit and watch the raindrops trickle down the windows of Mr. Neil Fairbairn’s “temple of knowledge”, I can’t help but be frustrated as I could have been outside running around and jumping (more likely tripping) over hurdles. The more I sit and mull over the loss of a activity-less day, the more I realize how often we have missed out on opportunities for outdoor fun. This train of thought then led me to realize how much time I  spend inside rather than outside now that I have entered the IB, though this was cut short when Mr. Fairbairn broke my trance with his really loud rumbling laughs.

Anyway, the point is, we didn’t have the Sports Day last week as expected and the fact that another big event has  been canceled/postponed shows a common trend in UNIS activities. Since the start of the year, we have had  two or three high school days postponed. Whereas during other years we had high school day sometime near the start of the school year, this year it is nowhere in sight and it’s almost April. Of course, these activities will  likely still take place but from my personal experience and those of my friends, the student body suffers a lot more than some might expect from these unexpected cancellations of events.

Like many other students (I would assume), I woke this morning with a gut wrenching feeling in my stomach dreading the thought of opening my computer to check my email to confirm whether or not we would have sports day. Unlike some students though, I was merely checking to see whether or not I get a break from schoolwork or would have to tramp through another rigorous day one filled with biology labs and the abysmal pit of math questions. Some students, I would imagine, were opening the email of doom; to find out whether or not they would have to go to day one classes with homework assignments that they had not completed, to face the wrath of teachers wielding the maleficent blade of academic recuperation; in other words they were flipping a coin with el diablo. These are students who have placed their trust in their peers to organize a high school day or sports day of some sort that would provide them with extra time to trudge through and complete their perennially assigned homework tasks. These are the students who have experienced the heart shattering moment of being informed about the cancellation/postponement of high school or sports day, the students who most likely expressed their anger and disappointment at the betrayal of their peers through words I have been advised by my editor to not include in this article.

My point is HS senate and other organizers of events, when you cancel/postpone these events, you are doing  more than just denying students a day for social activities, you are condemning your beloved students/fellow peers to a far worse fate; one that involves a Friday afternoon spent pretending to do homework in B5-G12.  So my friends, please, spare us the agony.

In all seriousness though, I do genuinely hope that sports day and high school day will be up some time in the near  future and no, it is not only for the extra time on assignments provided by these events. Instead, a lot of planning and effort has been put into these events and they are most definitely very enjoyable. It is truly unfortunate that the weather god has consistently ruined all our plans this year.

Editor’s note: It is the Chief Editor’s opinion that this is a mediocre attempt at satire. Keep trying though!