CAS Reflection 2014-2015

Creativity

As an aspiring artist fulfilling the creative element of CAS was not difficult for me. My year started with doing photography for COMUN and then with Printmaking in the second semester. Through creativity I explored two different mediums of fine art. This helped me to learn new techniques which will help me in my art making practices.

COMUN Photography has been a major contribution to the creativity aspect of CAS. COMUN allowed me to develop advanced photography skills in different lightings, with different numbers of people in the frames and how to properly control the camera in order to achieve a perfect snapshot. COMUN has taught me the importance of perseverance and commitment, as it required me to be constantly alert with my surroundings at all times of the conference and practice debates.

Conference Days - 1,2 and 3

Delegates in Debate

Printmaking helped me to learn new techniques and mediums that would help me create art works for my future pieces. It not only helped me to attain new skills but also helped me to experiment with new techniques for my design portfolios for college.

Printmaking made me aware of my strengths and areas for growth. I realized that I need to put more focus on intricate details of lino pieces in order to make the final design print more clear. I decided to work with the image of a taxi, as it is an essential symbol of the city of Kolkata in India. I printed the designs with various colour schemes, and realized that all the images put together make a pattern-like series. To create a series, it took me about 2 months of time. This required perseverance and commitment to complete the entire series.

Lino Series 

The overall journey of creativity in 2014-2015 allowed me to learn new techniques, develop my skills and made me aware of the different ways and types of artworks that can be created with simple items. I learnt new skills in both photography and lithography.

ACTION

My CAS year for action fluctuated between Badminton and Yoga. This allowed me to try out new ways to improve my stamina. 

Yoga helped me to calm my mind, increase my concentration and at the same time tone my body. Yoga helped me to release the entire week’s pressure and to calm my mind through controlling my breathing. Yoga taught me the areas that I need to improve in, such as stretching and flexibility. My 5 weeks in yoga taught me the basic exercises such as the 'surya namaskar', warrior poses and wall stretches. 

Although Yoga helped me to calm my mind and control my breathing problem caused by asthma, I believe that Badminton helped me to gain my stamina and tone my body.

My biggest weakness was my low level of stamina. In order to increase my stamina, I had to push myself to my limits. There were times when I felt extremely breathless and tired, but I still kept on planning. This helped me to improve my overall game play along with my backhand and forehand shots. I showed perseverance and commitment towards the activity, and this further helped me to develop more skills and gain more knowledge about the sport.

Badminton- Learning the rules to play doubles with Arush.

Service

My year started off with the OSC recycling and sustainability group. I undertook new challenges and learnt how to work collaboratively with a group of people. I learnt the importance of recycling paper and how it helps to improve and save the environment. However, towards the end of the first semester, I decided to join Hope for Kids. Hope for kids helped me to expand my passion for art to more kids and show them how art can help in calming the mind. 

Visiting the cancer hospital every week taught me how important it is to have a positive attitude during the treatment of cancer. Interacting with the children of the hospital I learnt how much hardship they face in their life everyday. Starting from chemo treatment to fighting the urge to give up.

Working With Gimhani

While spending time at the cancer hospital every week, I became good friends with a girl called Gimhani. Although she's only 14 years old, her interest in art and creating new works every week with me brought us closer. Her talent inspired me to initiate and plan new activities for her each week. My close attachment with her increased my commitment to the service and also showcased my deep interest and leadership skills that I had begun to develop. Gimhani taught me how to stay happy and have a positive mind while facing difficulties in life . The saddest part of the conclusion of this years CAS activities is that I will not be seeing her during summer. Her strong and positive attitude has helped me to become a more confident and hardworking student. Her passion for art has given me inspiration and is going to help me to understand how important it is to have knowledge about health problem like cancer. My aim to spread more awareness about the treatment of cancer and how keeping a positive attitude helps them battle depression and other psychological problems that affect the treatment of cancer. I am eagerly looking forward to continuing my final year of CAS in the IB diploma alongside the cancer hospital.