Once a geek, always a geek.
Ahh, my favorite masks in the world...
I recently ran for Senior Class President (and a few of my Drama Club [DC] friends ran for other offices). I campaigned fairly hard (made campaign videos and shared the link amongst the seniors, gave out cards, etc). I ended up not winning the election (nor did any of my friends, who campaigned harder than I did), losing to the “popular” kid. Me being obviously troubled, my dad comes to me and asks me what’s wrong. I tell him what was wrong. I got really attached to the possibility (and, at one point, it did look very possible) that I could be president, and I could actually help out my student body. Actually represent them well. Deliver on my promises (rather than make impossible promises like these popular kids made). My father says, “You know why you lost, right?”
“You are in Drama. The Drama Geeks back when I was in high school were just as popular as you are. Just as popular as commercializing moist socks.” (okay, I embellished a little bit, but that was the gist of it)
Drama Geek. A label. One that has been around for at least two generations.
The sad truth about it is that my father was right. I remember one of my friends (who was running for office) telling me that one of the students told him that because we were in Drama Club, we could just be “acting” like good candidates.
It’s ridiculous.
I have deduced, however, that if I had to make the choice of being a Drama Geek or Senior Class President, I would line up to the earliest audition. It has been like this for years….decades…..CENTURIES! And it will be like this for generations to come. I decided I might as well embrace it.
Gateway got the President it deserves, and if the school should fall due to his leadership, the DC shall still prevail and rise up from the ashes. This time next year, the barriers will be broken, and I will help a Drama Geek become President. This is another promise that I intend to keep.
