In a “Student Life” article published early in the year, twin brothers Marc and Paul Smith talked about what it was like to walk through the CSD doors for the first time as  transfer students. Now, Paul shares his reflections as the year comes to a close.

————————————

Nine months have passed since Marc and Paul Smith transferred to CSD at the start of their junior year. Between watching football and basketball games, attending club fair, crafting floats for homecoming, using learning labs and experiencing Intercession, a lot has happened this year. 

Expectations and Reputation

CSD has a reputation outside of its walls. Most people that haven’t been to CSD believe the school is small, artistic and liberal. 

“Being a student here for almost a year now, only some of CSD’s reputation is true,” said Paul Smith.

First, CSD doesn’t feel as small as people make it out to be. There is a surprisingly big community inside and outside the school. Between classes or at lunch, the hallways are packed with students huddling around in friend groups, eating and socializing. 

Walking around Birkdale and seeing people from CSD around every corner is not uncommon. 

Another reputation CSD upholds is its artistic prowess. Almost every wall is covered in some kind of art, whether it be a mural, detailed drawing or sculptures made in one of CSD’s many art classes. 

Finally, the school has students and administrators with all types of diverse world views.

Club and Activities 

“The element of CSD I was most surprised by is the student’s passionate sporting culture and fan base,” Paul Smith said. “I believe this can be partially attributed to CSD’s rival with Pine Lake Prep.”

No matter the sport, a game against PLP has hype around it. During football and basketball games, both home and away teams bring a student section where cheers and chats between the rival schools echo throughout the game. 

As for clubs, CSD hosts a club fair at the beginning of the year where a multitude of clubs set up booths and try to convince students to sign up and join. Clubs range from Science Olympiad to Ski Club.

Personal Experience

“My overall personal experience with CSD has been positive,” said Paul Smith.

Being a smaller school with a unified lunch period, learning labs and altogether more free time than most other schools, students are bound to make some friends after a while. 

“That’s exactly what happened to me,” Paul Smith said. “I’m grateful for the amount of freedom and leniency CSD affords to its students.”

The later start time and flexibility are welcomed changes coming from Hough.

To people that are hesitant or afraid to go to a new school like CSD, just go for it because school is what you make of it not what you’ve heard.