Wikipidea definition of a discourse community is “ a group of people who share a set of discourses, understood as basic values and assumptions, and ways of communicating about those goals”, but i believe a discourse community is deeper than that, it is a chance for you to be yourself, it is your chance to find a second family. The two discourse communities I’m going to talk about are my track team and the school I attend.
When I first entered high school two years ago, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do or what I wanted to stand for. I wasn’t even sure who I was as a person. And it was like that for a while. I went to school and went home; that was my routine. It felt like I wasn’t doing anything with my life. It felt like I didn’t have a purpose. So, instead of having a boring high school experience, I decided to take the initiative and look for extracurricular activities.
One day, I was walking through the hallways on the fourth floor near the boys’ bathroom, and I overheard the older classmen talking about the track team and how they needed people to join. I’ve heard about the track team a couple of times in the past, but I have yet to get the chance to be informed about it. So, instead of letting the perfect opportunity to ask about it pass me by, I asked two questions: “Do you enjoy being on the track team?” and “How do I join?”These questions would change how I viewed myself in a few months.
At first, everything was new to me; I felt like an alien. I didn’t know the name of the events or the terminology and slang they used. It was overwhelming being bombarded with all these new sayings such as “rolled”, which means to be bad at the event you participated in. I had to learn that track and field wasn’t only about running and that it consisted of things like long jump, shot put, pole jumping, etc. All these things made me feel disconnected from the sport, but after a while, I became comfortable and started to act and feel like a track runner.
Track and Field became a way for me to express myself. I never looked at it as extra work, it was always an outlet for me. It was a way for me to relieve stress, a way for me to better myself. The track helped me stay out of trouble by creating discipline in my life, something I wasn’t familiar with before I joined an organized sports team. Not only did it better my life physically and emotionally, but it also showed me that I could rely on others. At first, I didn’t see my teammates as anything more than individuals who shared a common interest with me, but as we progressed through the year, our bond grew closer and stronger. It wasn’t only a track team, but it was now considered my second family.
If you asked anybody that runs track to describe it in one word, they would probably say therapy. Track is a hard sport; don’t get me wrong. But once you get in the groove, everything just flows. It’s like we go through something called runner vision. It’s when runners zone out and get into a state of relaxation.
Without track, I honestly don’t know how I would’ve survived high school. Being at City Polytechnic is like trying to fit a circle where a square is supposed to go, but it just doesn’t fit. When I first heard about City Poly, I was intrigued. I thought I was finally going to be around people who think like me, I thought I was finally going to be understood; I thought I could achieve my goals with like-minded individuals. But then I arrived, and it was the total opposite.
Before high school, I was always interested in how things were built. My mom would always buy me Legos and toys that focused on building things. She would also take me to museums and do activities that helped feed my enthusiasm. I was sure this was what I wanted my career to include.
In my last year of middle school, my mom had a sit-down to decide what I wanted to go to high school for. If I’m being honest, my mom always had City Polytechnic in mind because my older cousin went there, and it was also an amazing school for architecture, engineering, and technology. Because of that, my selection of high schools was very limited. When I got accepted, I was excited because I was finally going to be attending a school for something I wanted a career in.
When I first arrived at City Polytechnic, I was outgoing. I introduced myself to the majority of my peers. I bounced around from friend group to friend group to figure out where I fit in. By doing that, I realized that I didn’t fit in with anyone, so I just stayed to myself for the time being. After a while, I found a friend group that best suited me, and those three people would become some of my closest friends. They are another reason I can survive high school.
As I settled in, I realized City Poly is split into two sides: the kids who came here for architecture and those whose parents sent them here. I was one of the kids who attended the school for the opportunities. The kids who came here willingly aren’t from the same background as me, we don’t share the same struggles or experiences. I am a student who is rough around the edges, and they are more polished than I am, and because of that, I was judged. Some of them never wanted to be in the same group as me, or they never spoke to me. It never bothered me at first, but as time went on, I started to feel a way; I started to feel as if I didn’t belong. The more I sat there and thought about it, the more I lost interest in architecture and engineering.
In conclusion, discourse communities play a crucial role in shaping how individuals communicate and interact within specific fields or interests. But just because they share common interests with you doesn’t mean you fit in.
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