6 November 2020 - Issue 7
HEAD’S
WEEKLY REVIEW
Head’s Introduction
It is wonderful to have the girls back in School after half term. In a tumultuous week when the UK has returned to lockdown, and the American presidential elections are underway, I am pleased that we are able to continue to provide the girls with an excellent all-round education. This is, after all, Roedean’s key purpose. After more uncertainty at the start of the week about what lockdown would mean for education, I am proud that the School already had in place many of the required measures and practices.
Adopting Chimpanzee Babies in Liberia
The girls have been taking full advantage of the sunshine over the last few days, using their allocated outdoor spaces at break and lunch, and for PE and Games. Some will also have been lucky enough to see our new ducklings, which hatched over the break. They are growing fast, and are being cared for excellently by the Farm Prefects. As part of the stock management of the Farm, four of our sheep have moved to a farm nearby this week, where they will be cared for as part of a smaller flock. This week’s Chapel services have focused on social media, and girls from every year-group have generously shared their personal experiences of it with their peers. They highlighted the great benefits of social media as a way of keeping in touch with others, but also spoke about the negative aspects associated with it. You can read some extracts from the services in this review. As ever, it is so important for the girls to be able to hear, and learn from, the experiences and stories of other girls. A good number of those applying for early application university courses, including Oxbridge and Medicine, have been sitting Admissions Tests this week – I hope these have gone well. We also held a remote Year 13 Parents’ Evening yesterday, allowing staff, parents, and girls to talk about the progress they are making at this stage in their Sixth Form careers. Our Charity Prefects, Jemima and Philippa, are launching our school charities for this year, and this review includes lots of information about these charities and what we will be doing to support them. There will be a number of opportunities to do this in the coming weeks, as well as raising money for other charities on specific days, such as Odd Socks Day later this month. I hope you all have a lovely weekend, and I wish you well for next week.
House 3's Halloween Party
Roedean Library encourages reading Sheep from the Farm find a New Home Four sheep from the Farm have been re-homed this week – they are going to be looked after on a local small-holding. Here they are in their new home:
Freddie the Fox visits Roedean A most unusual occurrence on Wednesday in the quad when a fox turned up for a sunbathe whilst the Year 10 girls were enjoying a few minutes in the sunshine before lunch. The girls were very taken by the fox and named him/her Freddie.
6 November 2020 - Issue 7
HEAD’S WEEKLY REVIEW
Unsung heroes in the spotlight Each week, many wonderful things happen at Roedean, about which many in the school are perhaps unaware; this section of the weekly review is dedicated to ‘unsung heroes’, in order to draw our attention to these people and remind us that our community is special.
Roedean’s DofE Expeditions Congratulations to all those who were on Duke of Edinburgh Award expeditions over the weekend before half-term. The 18 girls doing Silver DofE and 38 doing Bronze all successfully completed this section of the award – well done! LFI
Caroline, Edie and Freya (Yr7) for their calm, kind, and supportive approach towards their peers [JC]
Ella, Olivia, and Portia (Yr9) for rescuing a robin from the Chapel [RB]
Sixth Form Shining Stars Week commencing 19 October Daisy (Yr12) for helping to motivate me to start my essay, and for being lovely all week [nominated by Jemima]
Lisha (Yr13) for being so incredibly motivating and inspiring [nominated by Holly]
Week commencing 2 November
Roedean’s Black History Month Competition We are delighted to announce the winners of the History department’s Black History Month competition. The Key Stage 3 prize is awarded to Romey (Yr7) who wrote a very interesting piece about Phillis Wheatley, an enslaved person in America with a great talent for writing, in particular writing poetry. Her collection of twentyeight poems was the first ever work published in Britain by an African woman (1773) and Wheatley came to London to tour her book, which was received to great acclaim. You can read more about this from Romey’s work, which is on display on the History notice board. The Key Stage 4 and 5 prize is awarded to Megan (Yr12) for her piece about Donald Rodney, a successful Black British artist working predominantly in the 1980s. He was part of the BLK art group, and has been described as ‘one of the most innovative and versatile artists of his generation’. His work explored issues surrounding the history and representation of Black British people, including the nature of racism. Again you can read more about this from Megan’s work, which is on the History notice board. Both girls will receive a copy of David Olusoga’s outstanding book ‘Black and British’.
Thea (Yr12) for going above and beyond as my secret kindness buddy, by giving me compliments throughout the day and making me tea [nominated by Megan]
KNE
Artists at the Hannah Peschar Sculpture Park Amelia (Yr10) found the Hannah Peschar Sculpture Park an amazing experience – she wrote: ‘To have the opportunity to see such a diverse range of sculptures, set in such a stunningly beautiful park, was such a privilege, especially in the current climate. We were lucky enough to have the park all to ourselves, so we were able to spend our day photographing and drawing from the extraordinary sculptures, as well as the incredible plant life we found ourselves immersed in. We all left feeling incredibly inspired by the works we had seen, and excited for the next stage of our ‘natural forms’ project. It was an incredible trip – we all loved it!’
Nour (Yr13) for organising the horror maze and pulling it together in a short time, especially with the coronavirus restrictions [nominated by Holly]
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HEAD’S WEEKLY REVIEW
6 November 2020 - Issue 7
House 3 Halloween Party To end the first half of term with a blast, House 3 organised a creative and fun-filled Halloween extravaganza. Our Year 11 leaders organised activities in each room of the House for our younger students to enjoy. Miss Sargent put together a scary and tricky COVID-safe escape room, from which the girls in small groups tried to escape, following a number of difficult clues. There was a fancy dress and corridor decoration competition, turning House 3 into a Halloween-filled haunted house. Well done to Shuwen and Emily for their fantastic fancy dress, and for Charlie and her amazing efforts in our ODR. EHA
News of Friends Juliet Mabey appointed OBE
Year 8 Halloween Compositions Year 8 have been studying how music is used in films to create the mood and tell a story. Halloween seems to have really inspired them! They use the Digital Audio Workstation Soundtrap. Well done to everyone! SOB
Congratulations to OR Juliet Mabey (House 4, 1966-72) who has been awarded an OBE. Here’s what she has to say: "It was a huge surprise – and an incredible honour – to receive an OBE for services to publishing in the Queen’s Birthday Honours this year. My husband and I set up Oneworld in 1986 to publish authors from all over the world, for readers everywhere, and we’ve been incredibly lucky to receive a number of prestigious prizes over the years for both our fiction titles (the Booker and Women’s Prizes among others) and for our non-fiction books (including the FT & McKinsey Business Book of the Year and Royal Society Science Prizes). This new award speaks to our efforts to build a truly global stable of authors with diverse voices and perspectives over the last three decades, but it’s important to remember that publishing is very much a team effort, and I’d like to emphasise that this honour also goes to Oneworld’s fantastic staff and our brilliant authors." Spirit de la Mare says: "I have found Juliet to be incredibly helpful when publishing related questions crop up. She has always been kind enough to offer advice to fellow Roedeanians and I wish to say a huge congratulations on her OBE" Layla Moran nominated for Politician of the Year Congratulations also to Layla Moran, who has been nominated for Politician of the Year in the Pink News Awards.
Thank you to the Catering Department for our impressive Halloween feast
Amelia gains a place in U17 Surrey Storm Hub We are thrilled to announce another Netball success for Amelia (Yr10), who has gained a spot in the Surrey Storm U17 Hub. Her dedication and commitment throughout lockdown to up-skill and build on her fitness levels played a huge part in this incredible achievement. Lots of you will see the NPL Surrey Storm team play on Sky Sports, which shows how amazing it is for Amelia to be a part of such an impressive club. She will get some fantastic coaching and get to play against other hubs such as London Pulse… perhaps even playing against Izzy! Well done, Amelia!
Zina Saro-Wiwa's work showcase in Times Square Well done to Zina Saro-Wiwa (House 3, 1986-94), whose work has been chosen to be showcased in Times Square during November. Further details about her work can be found here.
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HEAD’S WEEKLY REVIEW
6 November 2020 - Issue 7
Roedean's Community Spirit Adopting Chimpanzee Babies in Liberia
mely strong despite the The community spirit at Roedean is extre ver, these difficult times are Howe year. this faced challenges we have unities which may not emphasising the need for us to support comm in response to the and mind in this be as fortunate as we are. With ol charities for this year votes of the student body, the Roedean scho ction sanctuary in West Prote and are the Liberian Chimpanzee Rescue in Eastbourne. With ity Char y lainc Chap Head Africa, and the Beachy charities can be these of our support, the local and global presence a difference. make can we that highlighted, and we are confident Philippa – Charity Prefects and ma Jemi
We share so much of the way we think, feel, and behave with chimpanzees. We even share similar brain structure, hands for tool use, and eyes that are tuned into social communication. But unlike us, populations of wild chimpanzees are plummeting, and they are now critically endangered – and are at risk of extinction in the coming years. You can watch Baby Chimp Rescue on BBC iPlayer to learn about the greatest threats to chimpanzees: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m000d8xb/baby-chimprescue Baby Chimp Rescue, presented by Professor Ben Garrod, focuses on the orphaned chimpanzee infants at the Liberian Chimpanzee Rescue and Protection sanctuary in west Africa: https://www.liberiachimpanzeerescue.org Ben is a Professor of Evolutionary Biology, author, BBC wildlife presenter (he’s even worked with Sir David Attenborough), and a longtime friend of Jenny and Jimmy Desmond, who founded Liberia Chimpanzee Rescue and Protection (LCRP) – Jenny is ‘mother’ to over 60 baby chimpanzees at LCRP.
With over 65 babies and growing – they have now outgrown their small sanctuary, and the Liberian government has leased LCRP 100 acres to create a semi-wild new forest home. With over 65 babies and growing –they
Roedean’s fundraising will focus on supporting the chimpanzees at LCRP – they need 24-hour care, just like human babies, and many come with injuries requiring medical treatment. The background of every chimp baby arriving at LCRP is tragic and traumatic, and they arrive in serious need of medical and emotional care. But in time, like humans, with good nutrition, medical care, and emotional support, they regain their mental and physical health, and begin to enjoy life and make social bonds to support all the needs of Our aim would be to raise enough money we would need to raise this, do To an. orph an individual chimpanzee for the year, so that would £3,500, but £750 would provide all its food be a brilliant starting point. Dr Barrand
have now outgrown their small sanctuary, and the Liberian government has leased LCRP 100 acres to create a semi-wild new forest home. By helping raise money for LCRP, you will be supporting the daily care of these infants, a future for these babies, and bringing hope to future generations of wild-born chimpanzees. It is of critical importance that the Desmonds have forged change in government policy in Liberia – it is now illegal to keep or sell chimpanzees as pets and they have had their first prosecution. Page 4
6 November 2020 - Issue 7
HEAD’S WEEKLY REVIEW
Roedean's Community Spirit Beachy Head Chaplaincy
PlanUK
Beachy Head Chaplaincy is a local mental health charity, that puts together patrols on Beachy Head, to help anyone who is at risk. They are trained in crisis intervention, which allows them to help save the lives of those contemplating suicide. They work with a number of local services to aid their work, meaning that they can make a huge difference to people’s lives. At a time when dealing with current global pandemic means that poor mental health is an increasing concern, I believe that this is an incredibly worthwhile charity. Philippa
Chimp Champs in HHH This term in HHH, 7C are Roedean School’s first group of ‘Chimp Champs’ where they have had the amazing opportunity to learn about chimpanzees and the current pressures they are under as a species. The girls have been fortunate enough to have a live call from Jenny Desmond from LCRP (Liberia Chimpanzee Rescue & Protection), where they were introduced to a live chimp on camera! One of the questions asked was ‘how does Jenny tell the chimps apart?’ As part of the project, the girls are going to be tested on whether they can learn the faces of six chimps that are currently at LCRP. After half term, six different photos of the same chimps will be shown in a Heads Review. Your challenge is to see if you can match the face to the names. Better start learning! For more information about LCRP, please go to: https://www. liberiachimpanzeerescue.org/
Leigh Leigh
Rudy
Gloria
Chance
Another charity that we have been supporting for a few years now is Plan UK. Through this charity, we support 10 girls across the world, to give them access to education and to improve their lives and prospects. These girls live in Timor Leste, China, and Bangladesh in Asia, Haiti, Bolivia, and Paraguay in South America, and lastly, in Sudan, Mali, Togo, and Rwanda in Africa. The charity has a campaign called ‘Because I Am A Girl’, which supports girls’ education. As we are a girls’ school, this closely links with our school ethos of providing girls with top quality education. I’m hoping this will inspire you all to help support these girls’ education and perhaps to transform their lives. The annual cost for all ten is £2100, which is just £3-4 per student per year – as a school, I’m sure we can raise this money to make a great difference to these girls. Jemima
HBO’s Charity Run Thank you to those of you who sponsored Ms Boobis in her 8K run for RISE. This took place virtually on Sunday 11 October, which was an absolutely glorious sunny day for it. Ms Boobis confidently ran the first 4K from Saltdean to the Marina Wall, and then alternated walking and running for the second half, completing the run in 1 hour and 7 minutes. From her sponsorship, Ms Boobis raised £243.75 for the cause, with RISE itself raising over £33,000 from the event – the most it has ever raised. As we go into a second lockdown, RISE’s service will be more important than ever, and it is fantastic that they can feel confident of being able to provide for women in need of support and refuge. Thank you.
Well done to Emily, Olivia, and Megan (Yr12), who are producing a children’s book to sell in time for Christmas, in order to raise funds to buy educational materials. These will be sent to children in Bulgaria who do not have the basic materials they need to flourish at school. Olivia and Megan were instrumental in producing the book ‘No-One Around’ for St Mark’s during the first lockdown, and this CAP group will be selling this book to raise funds for Door of Hope, which provides these Bags of Education for Bulgarian children. Look out for information in a couple of weeks’ time about how to buy this children’s book as a wonderful Christmas present for a child! RB
Nnamdi
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CAP Project to provide Bags of Education
Jack
HEAD’S WEEKLY REVIEW
6 November 2020 - Issue 7
Literary Supplement New Books in the library this November
STUDENT BOOK REVIEW The Tattooist of Auschwitz – Heather Morris Alex (Yr9) is a very keen reader and has been a regular visitor to the Library this year. She has been particularly inspired by one book, and has written the following review to share with everyone:
Don’t forget you can still borrow books from the Library! Either email library@roedean.co.uk or pop in and see Mrs Bailey at break or lunch.
Roedean Readers Award – Bronze completion! Well done to Asmitha (Yr7) who has successfully completed her Bronze Roedean Readers Award! Asmitha has read a wide variety of literature and has been a regular visitor to the Library this term, working with Mrs Bailey to pick the right book for each challenge. We have quite a few other pupils well on their way to completing their awards – if you would like to join them, please speak to Mrs Bailey or Ms Shillito and they will get you started. Asmitha has written a few words to tell us about her experience completing the Roedean Readers Bronze Award:
‘From a young age, I have always had a passion for reading. The Bronze award enabled me to pursue this form of enjoyment. Reading helps you discover yourself; it improves your focus and concentration; reading improves your emotional health; it’s a great source of motivation; it expands your knowledge; it broadens your imagination and enhances your creativity. Inside the booklet, there are a variety of tasks for everyone, such as novels, classics, newspapers, graphic novels, autobiographies, and many more. This allowed me to experiment with new books and discover new interests. With the assistance of the kind, helpful librarians at Roedean, I was able to browse books that I was interested in and indulge myself in an interesting book. Some books I would recommend are ‘The Shadow in the North’ by Philip Pullman, ‘I am Malala’ (autobiography), and ‘Great Expectations’ by Charles Dickens. Good Luck!’
'I read The Tattooist of Auschwitz’ and I would like to start off by saying it is my absolute favourite book. Usually, it takes me a few chapters to fully get into a book, however, with this one, I fell in love with it almost immediately. This book is based on the true story of Lale and Gita Sokolov, who met in one of the most dreadful and appalling places – Auschwitz. Both Slovakian Jews, they find themselves in the Polish Concentration camp, and somehow, amongst the sheer cruelty, manage to fall in love and overcome many threats and potential deadly challenges within, ending with a big escape and living their life together. What I admire about this book is how engaging it is. Just the way it is written is super-intriguing and the plot is incredibly exciting, moving on with the book at a fast pace. It is super-intense at times as well, and quite depressing. I felt quite a wide range of emotions reading it. Overall, I have never enjoyed a book as much as this one in my life, and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in wartime adventure stories!'
Reading Selfies Every week, we will be sharing some staff and student selfies to share what everyone is currently reading. If you want your selfie to appear in the Head's Review next week, then send them to library@roedean.co.uk.
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HEAD’S WEEKLY REVIEW
6 November 2020 - Issue 7
Literary Supplement Roedean Roving Reporters! How long does it take to write a book? To write Anna at War, it took a total of approximately 1 year and 4 months, which was actually very quick.
Our roving reporters are back! This term, Izzy and Chloe (Yr7) have been interviewing our resident Roedean authors, starting with Ms Peters: Where do you get inspiration for your books? It comes from all sorts of places. My editor asked me to write a historical book and I thought about periods of time I am interested in – WW2 – so I re-read The Diary of Anne Frank. Mr Blond received a letter from a very old lady, talking about her time at Roedean in WW2. The letter spoke about how she was a German refugee, and how the headmistress had taken her in and was very kind to her. That was how I got the inspiration for Anna at War.
Reading Reps We are looking for 1 or 2 students from each year to be a reading rep. We would like you to share your love of reading with your year group, and to work with Ms Shillito and Mrs Bailey to promote a love of reading across the whole of the School. If you are interested in this role, or would like to know more, please email Mrs Bailey (gba@ roedean.co.uk).
When you were our age, what was your favourite book? The Railway Children, because I liked the way the children went from a quite rich life to a very poor life, and they went on loads of adventures. I also loved Malory Towers and other books about schools. Have you got a book you are currently working on? When I had finished Anna at War, my editor asked me to write another historical book set in WW2, but Anna’s story was finished. I had always liked the idea of boarding schools being evacuated. For example, when Roedean was evacuated to Keswick in the Lake District. From there, I started thinking about big country houses and loads of girls moving there. My new book is about two girls solving a mystery, one rich and the other a poor servant. It is sort of based on Roedean!
What did you do during half-term? Due to Covid, I had to stay in Keswick over half-term. Keswick is an amazing house! My friends and I had a great time there. There were many interesting and fun activities waiting for us every day, and I would like to share one of the amazing activities with you. We did a socially-distanced Spanish cooking session, and made some Spanish empanadas with tomatoes, onions, and pepper scrambled egg! Thank you to Ms Ibanez Barcelo. I really loved it because cooking gives me a chance to be creative and indulge in some ‘play’ time. Whether I cook for my family, friends, or just for myself, I always enjoy it. Seeing how different vegetables, meat, and spices combine to make such gorgeous flavours makes my friends and me really happy. We enjoyed every bit of the process, from the cutting to the baking. Moreover, one of the best things about Spanish cooking is that you get to choose what you make and what goes into each dish. Do you love sharp, acidic flavours like I do? Then add a squeeze of lemon or whatever you like. Spanish cooking is definitely one of the most engaging activities I have done during halfterm. Huge thanks to all the staff involved, and especially to Ms Ibanez Barcelo! Shannon (House 1, Yr9)
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When you were our age what did you want to be when you grew up? A vet, because I grew up on a farm, so I knew about vets and animals. Then I realised I would have to do A Level Sciences, so that was a no! I also wanted to be an actress, but actors do not always get paid, and you do not know when you are going to get money. So, I decided to be a teacher, because you know when you are going to get paid and it seemed obvious as I love reading and writing. What led you to become an author? I was talking to my husband about growing up on a farm and how I had set up a theatre where I performed to my friends. He suggested that I wrote a children’s book about it. I joined an authors' book club where they shared their ideas, and looked at each other’s books. That taught me how to write a book. Who is your favourite author? When I was young, I liked Enid Blyton and all her short stories and adventure stories. Then when I was a teenager, I read lots of historical books. I also love Noel Stretfield.
Sustainable Planning Tuhina (Yr12) gave a presentation in our Year 12 Assembly yesterday entitled ‘Sustainable Urban Planning and the Economics Advantages’. Below is a paragraph that she has written to summarise her presentation: ‘For our Eco-Think Tank Community Action Programme, we have been working on our communication skills as part of our efforts to build our skillset as future change-makers. We researched and presented an environmental topic of interest, which led me to research and prepare a presentation on Sustainable Urban Planning and the Economics involved. This project gave me a great opportunity to research deeper into my two areas of interest – economics and the environment. I looked at different facets of sustainable urban planning, like the inclusion of green spaces and integrated transport systems, using case studies of my favourite sustainable cities. This got me interested in how such cities got to where they are today, inspiring me to research the reason for Freiburg's success with sustainability, which turned out to be greater political participation from the youth. In an effort to encourage political participation in our current context, I informed the other students of their ability to register to vote as early as 16, bringing Brighton one step closer to being a sustainable city.’
6 November 2020 - Issue 7
HEAD’S WEEKLY REVIEW
be harnessed over social media, and that we shouldn’t shy away from participating over these platforms.
Chapel This week’s Chapels have been led by Mr Chamberlain, on the topic of Social Media. Many girls contributed very openly, sharing personal experiences and reflections – thank you to Lennie and Rhea (Yr7), Willow and Amelia (Yr8), Yuki, Ellie and Suraya (Yr9), Oreoluwa, Mimi, and Caroline (Yr10), and to Jane and Kate (Yr12), whose sections are below: RCH: Social media platforms have to be highly addictive to keep us coming back for hours each day. They must feed our insecurities so we are clear about what we need to buy, say or do to be better. They must provide us with frequent opportunities to assess whether our decisions meet the approval of others. They must expose us to political messages that reinforce and shape our views and present us with others that generate disgust. In doing so they seek to polarise opinion and divide society. The new Netflix docudrama called The Social Dilemma offers a bleak assessment of the impact of social media on young people. According to the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention, there was a 62% rise in 15 to 19 year old girls being admitted to hospital for self-harm and a 189% increase in self-harm in 10 to 14-year-olds. If social media does damage the mental health of users, manipulate behaviour, crush selfesteem, and lead to addiction, is it now time to pause and reflect? Jane (Yr12): Whilst we can be quick to dismiss social media as a platform for bullying or leading a superficial lifestyle, it’s important to also recognise the positive social changes that have come from sites such as Instagram, which have played a crucial role in many social changes, like the recent Black Lives Matter movement. Another movement that has been mobilised through social media is the me-too movement, which has played a significant role in addressing the stigma around sexual harassment and abuse. It actually was founded in 2006 by Tarana Burke, a woman who has dedicated much of her life towards black arts and culture schemes. However, it wasn’t until 10 years later, in 2017 when Hollywood actress Alyssa Milano asked people to reply to her tweet with ‘me too’, that the movement gained the most attention. This then encouraged more people, celebrity or not, to open up about their story, and reduce the stigma and shame that many people have internalised around sexual harassment and assault. The traction this movement gained can be seen as testimony for the power of change that can
Saying this, it’s incredibly easy for people to buy into performative activism, otherwise known as ‘slacktivism’, where people show support for a cause using only surface level participation, with very little effort or action. This may be seen by just sharing something onto your story, or liking a post without fully understanding or advocating its content. If you were someone who, like many, posted a black square on your Instagram feed as a commitment to being anti-racist, take a moment to consider whether your actions truly reflect that, or if your post was just a form of optical activism. And it isn’t just the users like you and I who may be presenting untrue versions of themselves, but also larger accounts on social media, such as businesses or news platforms, can put forward ideas and conversations that are misleading, which is especially dangerous, as social media creates the perfect environment to harbour fake news. Fake news can come in forms that may not seem so obvious – there may be a clickbait image on your explore page, or an untrue but shocking story about a celebrity that catches your attention, both of which can be categorised as misinformation. Fake news also comes in the form of disinformation, which is where deliberately misleading stories are presented, or facts are manipulated to be used as political or ideological propaganda. The take away from this would be to celebrate and learn from social movements on these platforms, whilst enjoying the good that can be shared, but also to question whether what you, or others are distributing on social media is truly reflected in real life, or whether it may even be fake. Social media is full of snapshots of knowledge and fun infographics, and we should embrace the chance to learn from these, but it’s crucial to remember that Instagram isn’t a reputable source of news, and sometimes what you read should be taken with a pinch of salt. Kate (Yr12): When I was 13, I wanted to fit in, so I got social media. I only added a few friends and my account was locked down. Social media then became a habit. It’s nice to communicate with people and make new friends, but that was the problem for little 13-year-old me. I was innocent and did not know the hate of the online world. I started getting explicit pictures that year. I didn’t know what to do or how to handle it, as I thought no one else was going through it. Although you may not think it’s a big deal, that can really effect someone. As I grew up, the hate grew. I started getting comments on my socials, and people I didn’t know started to comment. It was partially my fault for letting these people follow
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me, but it did not grant them the right to say these hurtful things. I’m not going to lie, I still have to delete comments on my posts. It’s not only the hate on social media that can damage someone, the false pictures of unrealistic body types also do this. I make sure on my Instagram that I follow people that are body positive and honest. I’m sure you and I both know the temptation of wanting to edit a picture, or pose a certain way, to make people like you. I want you all to understand that you were given your body to love and cherish, not to hate and compare. I’ve struggled with issues regarding my looks, as I compare myself to my peers, but recently I have started to gain more self-love and remember that I am worthy. And that I don’t need others’ approval to make me feel enough. Social media has positives and negatives. It houses online bullying, abuse, rumours, and fake political messages, so you can’t believe everything you read. But it is also an amazing space for communication, support, and personal growth. You should use platforms like this to help spread awareness of campaigns, injustices, and positivity, not hate. If I can ask you girls to do one thing for me, don’t hate on other girls; us young women need to stick together and empower each other, not put each other down, and remember a post on an app doesn’t define you. Reflection by RCH: The average daily screen time for adults and children in the UK is in excess of 4 hours every day, with some age ranges getting close to 10 hours. Tablets, phones, and computers are useful tools which help us function in everyday life. However, if it has served to do nothing else, the Social Dilemma has encouraged us to stop and question the purpose and motivation behind social media, and whether the damage to mental health and overt manipulation of behaviour is something we can, and should, accept. The world before social media was not perfect, but the following was true. People met in person and fell in love. Families spent more time together. Children played out for hours in the fields and streets. Most people pursued hobbies and read books. People were not judged every day by hundreds, thousands, or millions of people they did and did not know. Statistically people were happier and there was less self-harm and suicide in young people. If we are going to learn to live with social media, we need to live in a way where people can feel self-confident, successful, and valued. We are the first generation in human history to face this problem. You will also be the only generation who were able live side by side with people who experienced life without social media. Soon this will not be true, and never will be again.
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