What Does Community Mean to You: Opinion Essay

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The lights flash on and swivel at me. I nervously take the stage and try to center myself. ‘Breath in…breathe out.’, I tell myself, but I can still feel my cheeks glowing hotly and my mouth turning to sandpaper, rough and dry. I try to remember the lyrics of the first song I am supposed to sing, but my mind cannot focus. As I stand there frozen with stage fright, I look around me and realize that I am not alone. My peers follow me on stage, and our choral teacher refocuses our attention as he flicks his baton into motion. There we all are on stage, the same way we have always been rehearsing, only this time, I can hear the audience murmuring in front of us, eagerly awaiting for the concert to begin. I find strength and reassurance in this community; these are the people I have grown to love through our weekly rehearsals. The familiarity of the people standing beside me and the choral pieces we are singing comforts me as I allow my voice to melt into the others to create dissonant, sublime chords. I am enchanted by the vulnerability of our voices without the support of any instruments, just the magic of our sound suspended in blissful harmony. With my newfound confidence, my voice soars to even greater heights to fill every chamber of the auditorium.

As we continue singing, I reflect on the sense of community I find in the chorus. Just as I sing with intonation, diction, and pitch accuracy, I must also sing with the proper dynamics to bring balance and depth to the music. When it is time for the Alto section to sing forte, I raise my voice so people can hear us set apart from the rest. And when we must sing piano, I soften my voice so I can listen to others and bring the music to life. The push and pull of dynamics amongst our voice parts create the illusion that the music itself is ever so slightly inhaling and exhaling, and yet remains perfectly blended. As our voices decrescendo into silence, I realize that the beauty of our music is not found in our voices as individual singers, but in the sound, we create as a collective community. Chorus has taught me how to collaborate, and how joining forces with others can help us achieve our goals. It has taught me patience, diligence, and appreciation for the talents of those around me. It has taught me to sing boldly, but to listen carefully.

I carry this spirit of teamwork with me beyond the stage and into the classroom, where I teach middle-school girls basic STEM concepts, particularly in Statistics. Through engaging lessons and hands-on experiments, I use my voice to empower young girls to pursue their passions in STEM and show them that their aspirations are not as distant and intimidating as they may seem. As the days turn into weeks, I see the girls confidence blossom as our room pulsates with the freewheeling atmosphere of intellectual inquiry. The girls lean in intently to catch every word from their peers, enthusiastic to share their ideas and hear others. Their thoughts fill the room in the form of collaborative discussions and energizing debates. As I look around me, I am surprised by the impact my voice can have on others. Just as I use my voice in chorus to create beautiful music, I use my voice as a mentor to teach the girls that every individual has a valuable opinion, but it takes to drive and confidence to express it.

Whether I am singing in a chorus or teaching young girls, I find the chance to become a part of something bigger than myself, the chance to explore new perspectives and help others in meaningful ways…just with my voice.

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