the grouping
Cliques: the infamous high school structure. The obvious can be stated by anyone - through years of schooling, certain people gravitate to each other and group together. And those who are not in a clique, who do not 'belong' to anyone, drift around and bend their heads, eyes cast down. Correct?
Not completely. "Clique" is a negative word - it brings up images of snobbery and click-clicking high heels or fake fingernails - it has an association of fakeness in general. There are two leaders, and the rest are followers - conformists - unfortunate people with no identities of their own.
This is true in some groups, more often in middle school or the beginning of high school, when being the most popular and the most recognized is still an important thing to many adolescents. Sometimes middle school groups of friends seem to have no real affection or trust - they are just dumb alliances of convenience.
But, by the end of high school, most groups don't seem to be made for popularity or to maintain an image. Many of them are held together by real friendship. Yes, certain groups sit at certain lunch tables, and stand in the usual circle in the morning before the bell. Such things are often criticized, but how else would you have them, when you really think about it? In any even small-to-medium-sized class, it isn't possible for everyone to be friends with each other. Sure, it would be nice if everyone respected each other, but for all 94 people to compose one big group?
But, wait a bit. All 94 people in the senior class do comprise a group - the Prout class of 2006. There are many people in the senior class who have never had a conversation with each other, but if they were to meet after we've graduated, they would have something in common and would probably talk about it then.
Within this large group, there are smaller groups of friends - close groups - supportive groups - groups who can laugh and be serious and share memories and experiences. And within each group of friends, there are smaller groups - two best friends here, another three there - they all converge to form the large group, but separate in the same way when it is time to choose partners in class.
The layering of groups continues in the other way too. The group of the senior class is part of the group that is all of Prout, and all of Prout is part of the group of all Rhode Island high schools, which are in the group of all American high schools - and it keeps spreading outward toward the realization that the whole population of Earth is actually a very large clique.
Who is the leader? A leader in the small group will not still be a leader in the large group - and the leader may change tomorrow, depending on the circumstances of the day.
But actually, it doesn't really matter. Why dissect these things, anyway? It is friendship, and most of the time it is deeply genuine. The anatomy of a friendship does not really matter. We're all part of some group - the largest group - by virtue of simply existing. Let preteens stumble through quests for popularity and attempts at connection to the right people. And appreciate those who have come out of it with a bit of maturity - at least enough to love their friends, no matter where their percieved position in the group lies.
Not completely. "Clique" is a negative word - it brings up images of snobbery and click-clicking high heels or fake fingernails - it has an association of fakeness in general. There are two leaders, and the rest are followers - conformists - unfortunate people with no identities of their own.
This is true in some groups, more often in middle school or the beginning of high school, when being the most popular and the most recognized is still an important thing to many adolescents. Sometimes middle school groups of friends seem to have no real affection or trust - they are just dumb alliances of convenience.
But, by the end of high school, most groups don't seem to be made for popularity or to maintain an image. Many of them are held together by real friendship. Yes, certain groups sit at certain lunch tables, and stand in the usual circle in the morning before the bell. Such things are often criticized, but how else would you have them, when you really think about it? In any even small-to-medium-sized class, it isn't possible for everyone to be friends with each other. Sure, it would be nice if everyone respected each other, but for all 94 people to compose one big group?
But, wait a bit. All 94 people in the senior class do comprise a group - the Prout class of 2006. There are many people in the senior class who have never had a conversation with each other, but if they were to meet after we've graduated, they would have something in common and would probably talk about it then.
Within this large group, there are smaller groups of friends - close groups - supportive groups - groups who can laugh and be serious and share memories and experiences. And within each group of friends, there are smaller groups - two best friends here, another three there - they all converge to form the large group, but separate in the same way when it is time to choose partners in class.
The layering of groups continues in the other way too. The group of the senior class is part of the group that is all of Prout, and all of Prout is part of the group of all Rhode Island high schools, which are in the group of all American high schools - and it keeps spreading outward toward the realization that the whole population of Earth is actually a very large clique.
Who is the leader? A leader in the small group will not still be a leader in the large group - and the leader may change tomorrow, depending on the circumstances of the day.
But actually, it doesn't really matter. Why dissect these things, anyway? It is friendship, and most of the time it is deeply genuine. The anatomy of a friendship does not really matter. We're all part of some group - the largest group - by virtue of simply existing. Let preteens stumble through quests for popularity and attempts at connection to the right people. And appreciate those who have come out of it with a bit of maturity - at least enough to love their friends, no matter where their percieved position in the group lies.
posted by Laura at 4:11 PM
2 Comments:
A very erm... I can't think of the word for it... well I mean to say that it's a very true and good post. *nods* haha Physics is a very good example of the "they all converge to form the large group, but separate in the same way when it is time to choose partners in class."
but anyways very true. *Seraface's stamp of approval*
You touch on the subject that I need to bring up once again: Unity of the Class. Yes, it does seem that as we head farther down the road we all converge slowly together, but we have our own special class unity too
It is like Kent put it. If some random person were to come up to you asking for help with the homework or help understanding, you wouldn't question them. Just do it. I was in physics once so I completely know what I'm talking about (unfortunatly). Since lunch is the oppertune time to be doing HW in that class I can say that first lunch for seniors really is a converging of the class. Many different people wander here and there, mingling with each other to solve the problem, not caring two cents as to whom they are speaking with.
In the end there are exceptions. (you know what I mean znd you know who I mean). YOu can always tell who has no heart in the class. They are considered "undeserving" of the special unison we all share.
"Prout Pride" may be a stupid combination of words that we definitly don't have a lot of thought in, but really it is those
who are truly "uncaring" of thier Prout-ship that really fall short of the class.
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