The CAS Games

Today marks the beginning of a new era. The dawning of an age that will change everything. Yes, today is the start of Creativity, Action, and Service. What is this CAS, you ask? It is IB's way of making sure its students aren't mindless zombies, or robots programmed only to write essays and do homework. It's hobby homework. I have to complete 3-4 hours of doing something creative, exercising, and community service a week. Until next February. Apparently I'll learn all about perseverance, collaboration, organization, ethics, and develop some new skills along the way. Not that I'll be able to fly or manipulate space and time after doing CAS (that would be really, really, really awesome), but I've got a few things in mind.

This week I'll be walking my dog, Sam. He is an incorrigible thing, who can't contain his joy whenever another dog comes within 20 feet, which can turn into quite an embarrassing and unpleasant catastrophe. Training him to be a better walker will not only be a great Action, it will make our little jaunts much easier and enjoyable. And I can finally stop and pet adorable dogs that pass by without having a deranged lab on the end of the leash. It's a win-win situation.

I'm working on a novel for Creativity. My writing is rather lacking in the quality department, and CAS gives me a chance to spend time on improving it. Usually I'm too busy with school work to seriously dedicate myself to writing, but CAS will force me to work on it (in a good way).

I'm sorting my chorus teacher's music for Service. He has all his festival music contained in these massive binders, and his organizational system is out of date. He also has lots of copies of sample music, that may or may not be useful to the chorus program. I'll be organizing all this music into categories and by voicing, and can cull out any just plain terrible or unsuitable pieces of music that we wouldn't even dream of working on in the next decade. Chorus has meant so much to me, and I can help it grow and streamline it. Otherwise my teacher would do it, and he should be focusing on teaching us the music and improving us as a choir.

So let Creativity, Action, and Service begin! And may the odds be ever in my favor! They better be, otherwise my IB career will be a dystopian bloodbath.