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I tried joining the Pep Club. But as a shy nerd, I just couldn't fit in. I
wasn't the cheerleader type. I have to hand it to them. They DID try to
welcome me. They invited me to slumber parties and got me involved in Pep
activities. But I just couldn't fit. I don't remember how I became
dis-involved. maybe I don't want to.... most likely, someone (probably
BECKY B., as usual) said something mean to me along the way. That was (and
still is) usually enough to scare me off.
Then, someone invited me to join Rainbow Girls. It was not part of the
school, but I went to school with all the girls in the group. So I was
able to start making friends there. It gave me some training in public
speaking. And it was the first place that I became a regular pianist.
We had activities occasionally with the nearby Demolay group (guys), which
eventually netted me a boyfriend!!
Many of those Rainbow Girls were also members of the band. When I was a
sophomore, I decided to join the band as a flag carrier. Eventually, I
taught myself how to play trombone and joined the whole band (Concert,
Marching and Jazz).
Yes, we were a bunch of bookworms/nerds/band 'fags'. But we had a GREAT
group. And it crossed all the grades, too. And I got a boyfriend or two
there, too!!! We called the band room the setting for "As The Band Turns",
there were so many soap operas going on!! Some of those friendships have
lasted all these years (16).
At the end of my sophomore year, I was invited to become the school
treasurer, which meant being assistant treasurer in my junior year, and
taking over the treasurer position as a senior.
The treasurer position was the only non-elected position because s/he
handled thousands of dollars for the ENTIRE student body. Since I went to
church with the principal, the vice principal and the school counselor, and
was in Rainbow Girls with the next treasurer, you could say I had an unfair
advantage....
It helped me because I had to give the financial statements at the student
body meetings and the school board meetings. My desk was in the front
office, so I got to see who came in and WHY... hehehe.
It was also a very sweet revenge when some of the popular girls inquired
about becoming the treasurer, only to find that nerdy ME was ALREADY IT. One of my friends convince me to become the (paid) pianist for 2 years at
the local Baptist church, which was also very active with the high school.
I can't say that the baptist religion was all that good for me, but the
social perks WERE. Let's see.. sort of one boyfriend there...
The Mormons also were very active in my area and had many youth activities
after hours at the high school, such as dances. (Of course, the lighting
had to be "just so" and the dancing had to be "this far apart") Because of
one of the two Band boyfriends, I participated in many of those. I always
knew that someone would ask me to dance at a Mormon dance. No one ever did
at the regular school dances.
It was very difficult at first (in my freshman year) to find the right
group(s).
The Rainbow-Band-Baptist/Mormon thing all started because I had a PE locker
next to a girl who was in the sophomore grade when the Rainbow girls were
on a membership drive.... she and I weren't friends, but she didn't know
anyone else in my grade, so ... (she was eventually the same one who
invited me to follow her footsteps as treasurer)
In each group, there were 1 or 2 people who befriended me and invited me to
yet another group....
Finally, all this extra-curricular activity led to a few awards from adult
organizations (Kiwanis, Who's Who Among American High School Students, etc)
and probably could have meant a scholarship or two if I had had a clue what
I wanted to study in college.
I don't think I would have survived High School at all (literally) if it
weren't for the organized activities.
So I guess my vote is YES, WHOLEHEARTEDLY.
YMMV (your mileage may vary) oh geez... I've said so many identifiable things here that anyone who went
to school with me would probably recognize me by now!! eep. Oh well.
What do I care what they think NOW? And besides, we're all getting so old
now, who would remember that far back?
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-Joining a club is great if it deals with something that piques your
interest. Don't join a club that doesn't interest you, though, because
that's a good way to make yourself uncomfortable. If you're taking a
foreign language course, join the club for it if there is one. You
obviously have SOME interest in computers if you use the Internet, so
try joining the computer club.
-I loved the swim team. I was a co-captain by graduation, even though I
was and still am painfully slow in the water.
seriously, though... When I first started highschool I was definately an
outcast, with few friends. I joined the track team, and became a
distance runner. I gained a few friends from track, but distance track
isn't really considered a great thing, and I was just an okay runner.
Yeah, I made the regionals my first year, but I never improved much
beyond that. I had the fastest sprint times of the distance folks, and
the slowest sprint times of the sprint folks. The only events I could do
really well were the 400-1600. Even today, completely out of shape, I
can do a mean 400. then pass out.
And, all throughout track, nothing much happened for me socially. But
swimming... that's a whole different story. I don't know what it was
about swimming that helped me so much... But, I did gain a lot of weight
fast on the swim team, and a lot of musculature. I still remember a
story, how after my first swim season, I was in the locker room, taking
my shirt off before cross country practice, and one of my friends just
screamed at me,"Holy Imran, what happened?" I was just confused,
and answered, "huh?" Then a couple of the other runners turned to me and
said,"damn. Your back muscles are huge." I just laughed it off, and
said, "whatever" But, ever since swimming season ended, my popularity
skyrocketed. When I finally graduated high school, I was a card-carrying
member of the popular crowd. I always had friends. I was invited to all
the parties... (Never went, but I got the invites.)I was good friends
with over 1/2 our cheerleading squad, and was asked out by the captain of
the J.V cheerleaders(I thought she was joking, and turned her down. I
learned later, after she had a boyfriend, that she was 100% serious.)
Looking back, I wish I hadn't had such low self-esteem back in high
school, because I was in the perfect position to love high school, at
least, the ending 2 years. I also wished I had joined the swim team as a
freshman, instead of a junior. I also had the best luck with women in my
life my freshman year of college, when I was physically the most active.
I also needed the least amount of sleep, and had the most amount of fun.
So, I recommend swimming, or any other activity that will allow you to
gain a lot of muscles. Swimming, gymnastics, Football... you get the idea.
Especially if you're young. It really can help your social life. Not to
mention, all the popular Jock-type men are on those teams, and if you
make a few friends on those teams, you can be set for your high school
carrer. If you join track, Try shot-put or sprinting. And, remember,
the freshman on the team will always have some sort of hazing.(I remember
t.ping several houses Hazing the fresh-persons. I also went through the
hazing, my house was once t.p.ed, and I was once creeked. You give, you
get. But, it's all in good fun. Don't take it seriously, as everyone is
a victim of it. There was even a day that we dressed in drag.(And my
female friends were all jealous of my legs. Although, looking back.. I
should've borrowed a better-endowed girls bra.*sigh*))
(I asked my friend Jess for her sluttiest outfit. I went wearing a
tank-top and black miniskirt. I was outdone by one other guy, though. I
thought I was going to be the sluttiest, but my friend phil beat me
pretty well. He had a crop top, a leather miniskirt, and a complete
make-up job. He also borrowed a very well-endowed girls bra. and stuffed
it more full. The wig really threw him over the top. But, I wasn't
going to get made-up, or wear a wig. One of my friends convinced me to
wear some of her blush, but that was as far as I would go. Could you
imagine me, all made up, walking into my overly-conservative house? My
parents already were worried that I was gay, because one of my friends was.)
Of course, neither one of us could ever pass as women... Too hairy and
male-looking. But, as I'm so fond of saying, I was comfortable enough in
my manhood to play with it, and it was fun. Of course, that's another
experience I wouldn't have had, if I weren't on the swim team. I can
name others, but I think you get the idea. So, I say, definately, go out
for the jock-teams. They're a ton of fun, and the benefits are really great.
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