First day of the second term

Today was the first day of school in the second term, after summer vacation. We had a second term opening ceremony which was mercifully short. In general I think that the number of ceremonies and the procedures taken tend to be excessive if not altogether unnecessary, but today’s ceremony made me think. About a quarter of it was dedicated to students reading an essay they wrote, probably at the end of last term. The subject was what they planned to do better this term. They all said that they would study harder for tests, for example.

This made me think about the power of saying (maybe communicating?) what you are or what you intend. Because the students announced their intentions, maybe their friends will hold them accountable, or maybe their own conscience will remind them. I remember that I told some people that I was going to bike to Matsumoto one night, and even though I didn’t want to do it, I did it because I had said that I would. Also, when I write on a social media profile that I like something, I feel some kind of compulsion to do that activity regardless of whether I feel like doing it or not. I think this was stronger when I used social media (facebook) more often, because lately the compulsion feels very weak.

In other news, I’ve barely drunk coffee for the past month. However, apparently I’m back to waking up at 5, and now I’m feeling a bit dazed. Yesterday during the staff meeting I nearly fell asleep. So I’m thinking that I need to try drinking it again. I read that it’s bad to drink coffee early in the morning, but maybe if I make it when I get to school and then drink it during first or second period (or between, if I have to), maybe I will avoid the ill effects.

Yesterday I went to the climbing gym. I tried hard, and managed to climb a few red problems, but I climbed so awkwardly that it was quite tiring and a bit discouraging. But really I haven’t gone consistently since April, maybe only four or five times, so I’m still trying to get back into it.