Based on feedback it seems like you all liked my first article enough to warrant another, so welcome back, or hello for those of you reading this column for the first time.

To start I need to give you a little setup. At the beginning of each school year we students are allowed some input into what option classes we would like to take part in, we get to choose from stuff like cooking, learning French, mechanics etc. I chose a pretty normal set of stuff, cooking, robotics, fabrication, and wildlife as well as some stuff as back up options in case I couldn't get into those classes. One thing I didn’t choose was drama! However, when I got my schedule on the first day, low-and-behold on Tuesdays and Thursdays I have drama class.

I was absolutely terrified of drama, I didn't think my heart could take being up on a stage in front of actual people. I was so frightened that I was seriously considering talking to the principle about getting a different class but eventually my amazing mother managed to convince me to tough it out and stay in the class.

Due to this decision, last Wednesday I got to go to Calgary with my drama class to go see ‘A Christmas Carol’ at the Calgary Theatre. It is the only play that I have ever had the pleasure of attending and it was fantastic. I loved all of it, the sets were detailed, beautiful and used in some really creative ways. The songs, though I’ve heard them before, had me tapping my foot and laughing at the gags on the side. The acting just blew me away, I was astounded at how a group of people could be so precise in all of their actions. For example at one point a sword fight is taking place and the actors, while fighting, are throwing around a map! What may seem like a simple action on paper, is stunning to see in real life, the skill the actors must posses to throw around a paper map, catch it, and stay in perfect timing for the choreographed sword fighting, is a level of skill that I don’t think I can comprehend.

In contrast, on Sunday I went to ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’ with my mom, a movie which makes very liberal use of computer generated effects and it was not even close to looking as good as a play that was just actors and some practical effects, something that I think is pretty amazing.

I loved seeing the play and now I am super excited that my drama class gets to do our own at the end of the year. Drama class for me has transformed from something that I dreaded and hated to one of my favorite classes, and one that offers a wonderful reprieve from the monotony of everyday school work and it has taught me something that I think might be a little more important than Martin Luther’s birthday. It has taught me that sometimes you have to leave your comfort zone to find something that you really, really enjoy and that’s an amazing life lesson.

Have a good week.