When I was still in Indonesia, I used to play badminton until the a.m’s. Even when I played without a net and cover to protect the shuttle from the strong winds, I would still play. The last time I played like that was in 7th grade and when I came back to it during Badminton Pre-Season, I could still play, but it was evident that I’m not as good at badminton as I used to be. (LO 2) Pre-Season Badminton was challenging for me; although I played badminton as a hobby, I have never properly learned it (the techniques), so all the techniques being taught was definitely new to me. Moreover, the warm up’s were tough as well, especially when we were told to run laps in the air-conditioned sports hall. During some sessions, I would not be able to do the warm-ups due to medical conditions but during the good days, I would still do the warm-ups. In all honesty, I felt really bad to my friends when I did not join them for warm-ups and would try my absolute best to the warm-ups, even if it means doing only half of it.

However, Badminton is one of my favourite activities that I have done for CAS. Playing badminton helped me distress a lot and helped me shake my excess energy. I was placed in one of the lower streams but it became especially fun as I was able to do it with my friends from the boarding house and a few day students I knew. The coaches have been really supportive and helpful throughout the season. They guided us through the basics of badminton until we were quite confident in rules and playing. In summary, badminton pre-season has been a good activity for me to destress and be with my friends in the midst of my busy IB schedule. Sure, it was tough for me to catch up at some times but the people around me had helped me tremendously in terms of supporting me.