Character and Charisma #9
After giving the three presentations to elementary schoolers through Beyond Schools, I was surprised to find out that my last presentation was going to be with high schoolers. As a high schooler myself, I questioned how I was qualified enough to stand on stage, lecturing people the same age if not older than me on topics that I had just as much experience as them in. Lecturing to people your own age is quite a feat. While the elementary schoolers might have struggled more with their attention span, they were more receptive, especially when we gave them candy; that didn’t work as well with the teenagers.
As a teenager myself, I think I am pretty qualified to say that teenagers are ruthless and I most certainly have a lot more respect for my teachers nowadays after my experience with them. As I was about to give the presentation, I was having technical difficulties with the slideshow. Instead of the powerpoint on the projector, the laptop’s background of a cat popped up on the screen. The guys in the back of the room started meowing, consistently getting louder until the entire guys section sounded like a zoo. After finally getting the slideshow up and the teachers reprimanding the guys in the back, I finally got to give my presentation. While it did not feel as empowering as it did with the elementary schoolers, I had a funny realization. No matter where you are, what languages you speak, or how different people’s lives might look from one another, teenagers will always be teenagers regardless of where they are. While I might personally never start meowing before someone’s presentation, I do know that some of the guys on my wrestling team definitely would. For some reason or another, their obnoxious meowing made me feel a little at home again after spending the last month in India. I learned the world is a little more interconnected than we think.
Your observations about presenting to high schoolers are absolutely on point! The technical glitch and the meowing boys made your experience so relatable. The universality of teenage behavior is truly eye-opening. Loved how you drew a connection between that and finding a sense of home away from home. It’s fascinating to see such shared experiences on a global scale.
The shift from elementary to high school presentations was quite the adventure! The meowing incident gave me a good laugh; teenage antics truly know no bounds. Your observations about the universality of teenage traits were fascinating and relatable. Loved the way you expressed the feeling of connectedness despite the diverse experiences.
Such a compelling story of transitioning between age groups for your presentations. The technical snags and the meowing escapade are just hilarious! Your view on teenage behavior being a global language is intriguing. The way you connected the meowing to a sense of familiarity after your travels is quite insightful.
This was a fun read! The shift from primary to high school audiences and the hiccup with the slideshow brought a relatable smile. The idea of interconnected teenage behavior resonated well. Loved how you tied the meowing incident to finding a sense of familiarity. Eagerly anticipating more captivating stories from your experiences!
What a unique and entertaining narrative! Your experiences with different age groups are a great insight. The cat background and the meowing in the high school presentation gave a chuckle. The way you connected the teenagers’ behavior across cultures was very thought-provoking. Loved reading about your journey!
What a refreshing and relatable journey! Shifting audiences from elementary to high school must have been quite a ride. The meowing incident and technical glitch added a fun element. Your take on the interconnectedness of teenage behavior struck a chord. Loved the way you found a slice of home in such a funny scenario!