MA School Activities Outside of Studio/Dojang/Dojo etc.

[elila]

Does your school hold activities outside of the school? I don't mean tournaments, but banquets, holiday parties, spring/summer picnics, etc. ?

Mine does, but I've never gone to any.

Sometimes it's too far away, my parents are working, I have to babysit, study, or whatever. Now a summer picnic is coming up and there's no excuse for me not to go. But I'd really rather not go, for the following reasons:

1.I come to this place to learn MA, not go to picnics.

2. I have other, more personal reasons.

I was curious if other schools held these activities, and how other people feel about them. Does anyone else feel awkward at these types of events?

Do you believe they take up class time, and are unnessasary? Or, do you believe they're important, perhaps team-building experiences?

*NOTE* Sorry if this is in the wrong place, I wasn't sure where it belongs.

Edited May 15, 2005 by elila

[karatekid1975]

My school has outings all the time. We have cookouts, gameday at a near by park, holiday parties, we go to Six Flags, ect.

I'm the opposite of you. I go to almost all of them. Most of my friends that I have I met through the dojang, so I pretty much know every adult there (but I have three really good friends out of all of them).

Anyways, if you don't feel comfortable going, don't. If you feel you are getting "bugged" about it, talk to your instructor.

[elila]

I can't keep getting out of these things, I have to go to it. I think I'll edit it a little to get people's opinions rather than advice. Thanks though.

[JusticeZero]

Does being around people a lot leave you worn out? Do you usually end up slipping off to the side at large gatherings? Because your reaction to the gatherings sounds pretty typical of me and a lot of people I know. And that's indicative of normal introversion.

1, 2, and 3 are really non-concerns. The gathering is seperate from MA. Bonding with students might help you in training and being recognized for your ability, as stupid as that might seem. Figure out who you need to know better and stick near those people.. you've already figured out that your peers are -not- the giggle-girls and such.

[kenttiensankari]

Every autumn we go to party in shipcruise, in summers we have summerparty in senseis cottage, and few other parties along the year. Excellent way to know better the people in the club.

[sweetpea0525]

We do several events throughout the year. Some small, some larger. Our biggest event is a picnic and it is outside of regular training, on a summer sunday. The event we have the most fun at is our sleepovers, they are a fundraiser for our karate charity, Project Action. We just had one on friday with 41 students under 12 and 23 staff/students over 12. It was a blast, it gives the younger kids and the newer students a chance to bond with each other and it also allows some of the older students the chance to interact with the kids.

The events are always positive and fun, they create bonding activities and fun memories. They also break from the seriousness of the training and allow us all to cut loose.

If you are uncomfortable about going to events then you may want to talk to your instructor about it, or maybe another student you are comfortable with. Even if you don't want to go for the entire duration, maybe you can go for an hour or so and see if you like it and if not you can leave but I think you may be surprised.

[Mr. Mike]

our school hosts a myriad of events throughout the year. Everything from picnics, Six Flags trips, cultural visits to other cities, sledding parties, new years parties, etc.

None are mandatory, but we like to see as many students as possible go to them for a variety of reasons. The least of these reasons is money. Most of these events are funded completely by the top people in the school. We like to see students come and have fun most of all. It also builds teamwork, cohesion, confidence and shows students that we instructors have personal sides and aren't just MA robots.

If you feel like you don't want to go to these events, I would suggest bringing it up to your instructor. If you don't feel comfortable with that, try talking to a member of your leadership team. You mentioned that there are personal reasons. Perhaps those reasons should be cleared up not only so you can attend functions, but mainly to facilitate a comfortable training atmosphere.

Hope that helps some.

[JusticeZero]

The personal reasons were mentioned earlier. Then edited out. To my eyes - and I don't know if i'm interpreting it right - the main one was that the events in question, almost by definition, were not fun. For me at least, the idea of going on a long social gettogether does not fill me with much but irritation. I've gone to them because they were opportunities to train with highly ranked people I didn't normally have a chance to, but I end up spending a fair amount of time sitting semi-alone on a beach or some such place.

[isshinryu5toforever]

I think these events are a way to try and create some sort of family so to speak. I know that some dojos I have been to have shiais. They are large gatherings where they basically run a class and a few demos in front of the parents and have a small party afterwords. If you are really that uncomfortable going, then talk to your instructor. I think all these gatherings are meant for however is to allow all of the students to get to know each other on a more personal level, so they aren't simply people you train with, but possibly your friends. I know that I am friends with many of the people I train with, because we have made an effort to get to know each other outside of the martial arts world.

[JusticeZero]

Lil, have you had much luck breaking into the groups that don't disgust you? (that is, the competent and presumably older students, as opposed to the giggle-girls and mumbly boys)

Because it's not clear who else there is - all you ever mention in your class are the teens who you don't empathize with at all - is there anyone in your class that doesn't giggle and gossip, or mumble awkwardly? What's your other options here?