SSP Reflections | My Site 2

Early SSP Reflection

My Senior Spring Project (SSP) has been lovely thus far. As a quick recap, I am volunteering in the Middle School Math Department in order to fulfill my community service pillar. I am learning how to sew as part of my new experience. I am continuing my math and economics classes to fulfill my intellectual engagement pillar. And lastly, I am continuing my classes as a student at Boston Ballet School (BBS) throughout the spring, anxiously awaiting my final time on stage with the company in May.

Throughout SSP, I am spending the majority of my time in the arts world. I’m continuing my ballet and piano classes, spending plenty of time in the ceramics studio, learning how to crochet, and improving my sewing capabilities each day of the week.

With regards to ballet and piano, they both comprise a significant part of my identity. I’ve danced ballet since the age of three and played the piano since six years old, meaning the two have remained my reliable outlets for just over a decade. Given that I am graduating piano lessons—for which my brother and I have had the same teacher, Ai-Ying, since we both started playing—my brother, Christian, and I decided to learn a duet as my final piece. We’re learning “The Bare Necessities” from The Jungle Book, a favorite song of ours from when we were little. It’s a lovely ode to a) our bulletproof sibling relationship and b) our time with Ai-Ying, a remarkable woman whose family we hold close to ours (her son, Timothy, still receives all of our hand-me-downs!).

My ballet schedule, on the other hand, is not quite as stupendous for the next few weeks, but it is all for a great cause. Each year, BBS puts on a performance called “Spring Showcase” in which all students perform. I am performing in three different pieces, all of which require a high level of commitment and dedication (given that they are senior roles). The piece for which I am most excited is in a style called “character” dance, a rigid, Russian form of movement that is taught by Ms. Alla Nikitina at BBS. Ms. Alla has been my teacher since sixth grade, thus why my final performance with her is going to be deeply special!

Outside of my two primary outlets for artistic expression, my sewing group and crochet seminar have been fantastic thus far! I ADORE crocheting. Although I am still getting the hang of it, I have made multiple squares of fabric, a significant improvement from my first attempt at making a rectangle—which finagled itself into a triangle, instead. I’ve since learned from my mistakes, now having learned three new stitches while planning my final project: a Paddington bear stuffed animal. Needless to say, I’m so freakishly excited to make Paddington.

I am doing the sewing group with three of my closest friends: Lucy Song, Lauren Pond, and Lexi Nicholas. We made hand-sewn pillows during the first week of SSP, and we made fuzzy-sock teddy bears just last week. I’m very proud of how mine turned out (aside from the fact that it still needs eyes), whereas Lucy is less so. Photos are attached below, and (I hope) you can tell which is which. She’s very competitive, so it’s been deeply satisfying to tease her about this one :)

Along with the sewing group, my friends and I are doing a weekly cooking session together. We’ve made (very sketchy) chicken schnitzel and nachos thus far, and we’ll be making gyros and bibimbap in the weeks to come. I’m unreasonably excited for the gyros.

The nicest part about SSP thus far has most certainly involved both the cooking and sewing groups, simply because I love spending time with my friends. The fall and winter seasons were both insanely busy, and I have only just now realized how little I was seeing my friends. Thus, it's been lovely to have been spending time with them on the regular—and a fantastic way to end my time at BB&N.

My volunteering in the math department at the Middle School has been great, as well, even though I originally assumed that I would be working with Mr. Means and have since been relocated to different teachers. I was disappointed at first—because Mr. Means is one of the most impactful teachers I’ve had throughout my time at BB&N—but I am now working with both Mr. Chang and Ms. Magner, instead; I adore them, their students, their fun slideshows, and their sunny demeanors. Seriously, I’ve loved it and can’t wait to see the connections I form with my students as SSP continues.

To switch gears, the largest obstacle that I have encountered throughout SSP has been finalizing college-related decisions. Although all will be well in the end, it is a big choice that I am working to go about in the most informed way possible, thus meaning I’ve had to fit in a few college trips on the weekends. It’s a lot of talking with students, a lot of meeting with teachers, and a lot of driving, BUT I get to do it with my dad (who makes it tons of fun). Making up work has been difficult—especially with the packed schedule that I made for myself—but I would much rather be busy than bored at home :)

All in all, I have loved the freedom, time with friends, and increased sense of maturity that SSP has brought my way, and I can’t wait to finish out the year strong. Thank you so much!

final SSP Reflection

When I started planning my SSP, I knew one thing: I needed to be busy. I’ve spent my life in a relatively unwavering cycle, days composed of back-to-back school, ballet, and homework. Thus, I wanted my SSP to deliver that same sense of hustle I was used to, and I most certainly delivered on that front—just not in the way I expected to do so.

Throughout these last eight weeks, my schedule has been jam-packed in the best way possible. It’s been busy in a much different, less monotonous way compared to my regular schedule; my SSP had more ebb and flow, morphing to give my routine a whole lot more color. This idea of a “colorful” routine—one that deviates from my standard, 9-4 and 4-8 cycle—closely resembles my Google Calendar throughout SSP, which was pleasingly color-coded to look as pictured below:

Although the four pillars of SSP are guidelines meant to be followed, I loved turning them into my own interpretations of community service, wellness, intellectual engagement, and new experiences.

While doing community service for the Middle School Math Department, I helped students—who are a whole lot like myself—to gain confidence in their learning. By looking introspectively, I was reminded of the confidence I felt when earning academic success in middle school, a sort of self-assurance that formed a strong foundation for my learning as I entered high school: academic confidence. I loved being able to contribute to my students’ confidence, a major piece of color added to my daily routine. Furthermore, while taking on new artistic experiences through my “learn-to-sew” group and crochet seminar, I was able to implement a whole lot of physical color in my daily routine. The arts are what bring me joy and relief in my day, so I loved being able to take those extra breaths while doing the hobbies I have developed as my favorites throughout these past eight weeks—I’m already planning my next crochet project, which will be a red sweater!

So, although I was busy during SSP, I felt lighter than ever before—simply because the activities at-hand left me grinning from ear-to-ear, my schedule acting as a mosaic of my newfound freedom and lifelong learning I’ve developed throughout SSP.

To the students who will be planning their own SSPs in their future, I have advice very similar to that of Michael Schur: just go with the flow. Take on all of the opportunities that feel right to you, and don’t worry if your schedule fills up a bit because you heard that “SSP is supposed to include a ton of free time.” What you’ll come to find—like I did—is that a packed schedule rarely feels overwhelming when you love what you’re doing. In fact, you might see a whole lot of new colors make their way into your daily routine.