If you are friends with, or you know an ASB kid, you have surely listened to hours of conversation and complaints about upcoming projects and events going on in ASB. These conversations often include references to so-called “child labor” or the dreaded “lip sync practice” leading you to question whether or not the ASB kids even enjoy being in ASB. As an ASB kid myself, I realize that most of the chatting I’ve done has negatively referred to ASB because its difficulties are particularly fun to complain about. However, deep down I love ASB with all of my heart and do not show nearly enough of my appreciation for it. Without knowing what the true life of an ASB kid is like it can be hard to tell whether it’s meant for you so here’s some insight to the life of an ASB kid.
Not to be:
Starting your day at the brisk hour of 6 AM to get to school on time for zero period at 7:30 AM already sounds awful in itself, but shockingly enough, some days throughout the year ASB kids arrive at 7:30 AM and do not leave school until past 10 PM. The 14 hours straight of being at Westmont on those days are so tiring and full of work that you oftentimes fall right asleep the second your head hits the pillow, legs cramping, blistered feet, with little to no voice left. ASB is flat out tiring. From one perspective, the amount of work and hours that goes into planning school events is not at all worth it for the amount that students appreciate it. The decorations get ruined within the first 20 minutes of them being put up and the lip syncs are just flat out made fun of. After the exhausting events we put on, the worst of all, we don’t get to just leave school and go party with everyone else. Instead, we have to stay back and clean up for another hour just in order to keep our grade up. ASB kids even dedicate their summers and weekends to prepare for school, leaving less and less time for a social life, homework, or relaxation. We plan and host fundraisers to raise money for causes which are short lived and not always successful. To be completely honest it sometimes feels like a waste.
To be:
Even after much complaining, the endless hours of work spent on planning, creating decor, learning lip syncs, advertising, and showing school spirit will always in the end be worth it to me. Being an ASB requires tons of dedication and along with it you become part of a family. Not just a group of classmates and friends, but an entire family including your teacher. Many kids who join ASB their freshmen year love it so much that they keep doing it every year of high school! In Westmont ASB we dedicate several weeks of our summer to training and preparing for back to school that entail unforgettable bonding activities and late nights away from home at a camp. That first week you make new connections with people not only in your class but kids from ASB classes in other schools! It is truly so eye opening and unforgettable.
I will always be thankful for all of the great qualities and memories it has left me with so far.
Aside from the great memories and qualities I have obtained from ASB, I will benefit from being in the class as I apply for colleges soon!
Pros:
- Looks good on college apps
- More involved in Westmont
- Make friends/become part of a family
- Usually know what’s going on
If you’re considering joining ASB, know that it does require a special type of person with sheer dedication to be a part of the club but you will not regret your decision.