Diversity Essay, Research Paper

Welcome to Vancouver College, an establishment, which consist of all male students. I have came a long way since I was in elementary school, when life consisted of cartoons, napping, candy, and chasing those significant others who all had “Cooties”. Life has become more hectic, and since that time, I have come to deal with more serious issues such as peer pressure, appearance, the future, and those of the opposite sex. Vancouver College, ever since its existence, has been put on a pedestal of mockery as the school with “no girls”. As a school full of tradition, with the upbringings of good morals and Christian Values, many see Vancouver College as the ideal school; however, some dismiss this and only see the one thing that sets aside Vancouver College from most schools: Girls.

It was the 16th day of July when I entered the halls of Burnaby North Secondary School. Ten months of procrastination had led me to the outskirts to the horrible place known as summer school, where upon arrival, I would attempt to finish Biology 11. I had for the first time in a few months, done something productive, rather than lying on the couch to pursue a career as a slob. I had but one goal in this endeavor: to finish the course and then laugh in the faces of my peers when they suffered through the course during the normal school year. However, this would prove to be difficult. I was used to waking up every morning, putting on my grey slacks, white dress shirt, socks, tie, and those ever so popular “Oxford Style Shoes”. I was in for a very big change – a change even I, “Mr. I Can Do Anything” could not handle. Five years of going to school with morning hair, a composure far from normal, and being inadequately dressed, led me to a place abundant of females: a place I thought I would love.

First time I walked into room #120, I was a nervous wreak. I was humbled like a little child, and I was far from my comfort-zone. The sweat trickled down my forehead as I took a seat at the back. I was alone; I was by myself. As students started to populate the dense and humid room I was awed. “Whoa?there’s a girl in my class?there’s another?and another.” After everything settled down I saw that I was one of three guys in my class. Evidently, we would stick together through the six-week period.

I was scared, not because of the girls, but because of the dramatic change in atmosphere. I was used to looking around and seeing the faces of people of my own gender. Now, as I looked around, to my left, to my right, I saw girls. The diversity of males and females in a classroom, which is considered the norm, was something that was new to me–something that seemed uncanny to me. In an atmosphere where physical appearance was not a great concern, I entered a new domain in which I had to look “presentable”. The once popular morning-hair had to be replaced neatly-combed hair, school uniform changed into street clothes, saggy dark bags under the eyes had to be replaced by attentive, clear eyes, and

the frown upon my face had to drastically change into a forced smile. Now that I had entered the world of “PUBLIC SCHOOL”, the once comfortable and sheltered days at Vancouver College soon diminished. I was lost.

I blindly walked into summer school with the expectation to love the atmospheric change. Little did I know I would end up as a nervous wreck rather than the carefree attitude I had established at Vancouver College. Over the course of six-weeks, I began to care more about my overall attitude and appearance now that girls had entered the picture. I ended up worrying, rather than enjoying the addition of girls to the classroom.

Vancouver College – a school consisting of one gender, a diverse school? Each individual of the Vancouver College community brings diversity in itself. Dreams, aspirations, and goals are yearned by all; however, each one of these differs from individual to individual. This makes Vancouver College truly diverse. Regardless of our one gender school, we We once entered the diverse Vancouver College community and soon, we will enter the diverse world as men.