After three mini-lessons from 9:00 to 12:00, Community Culture Day started with Xav’s own world cup football tournament. Although several teams competed, I think the first game taught us an important lesson. It was a 5v5 game between teachers and students. On the outside, the students should win. They have speed, agility and mobility, but the students struggled defensively, as they weren’t consistent in their positioning, leading to a 3-1 win for the teachers. The game wasn’t just merely entertainment, it revealed that in sports and in life generally, people often view individual characteristics in a higher regard than the whole package. So, before you judge someone or something, think of the bigger picture.  

I then moved on and checked out the stalls, specifically a Jamaican-themed one selling chicken and a variety of other fried foods. After about five minutes it dawned on me, someone has spent a great deal of their time, effort and care to display their heritage in the best way they can. People love to represent their heritage voluntarily showing that passion always come before motivation. People will be able to sense your passion and enthusiasm without you saying a word. Passion is magnetic.  

At around 12 noon, I checked out the inflatables. There was a giant darts board that had students using footballs instead of darts. There was also an inflatable that had students ride a bull that spinned faster the longer they stayed on it. There was an activity where a group of students collectively had to dodge and jump over rotating bollards. To me, this was all about relieving pressure and having fun. I saw students falling over, tripping over themselves which would normally lead to feelings of embarrassment, but this was more than just inflatables. When the expectation of ‘perfection’ we all hold to ourselves in public disappears, our true self comes out. The person that isn’t afraid to be embarrassed. The person that doesn’t take themselves too seriously. The person that can laugh off their silly mistakes. When that pressure is gone, you get to see the real you.  

The day then came to an end with the ‘Xavs Got Talent’ show. We had rappers, singers and bands. We had some amazing guitarists which electrified the crowd. We had it all and the audience was singing, dancing and engaging with every act. It was clear that each act had put in hours of hard work to make their performance special and of the highest quality. This shows that the hard work behind the scenes for any project event will always, always show when everyone’s watching. It doesn’t matter if you think you’re talented or not, if you put your focus and energy into something, it will be successful.  

This wasn’t about just a College event. It’s really about the collaboration of over 1000 people from different backgrounds, religions and genders who come together to celebrate everyone’s uniqueness, as everyone was faced with, what seemed like a mountain hike on the first days and weeks of Year 12, that turned into a light walk by the end. 

Written by Xaverian College Marketing Ambassador – Daniel / Photographs by Xaverian College student Eryk Bombis