Of all the classes we take throughout adolescence, none demands as much vulnerability as gym. At a time in which we feel as comfortable in our skin as a cat does in water, and our bodies mercilessly rebel against our brains, we are compelled to don shorts which leave little to the imagination and contort ourselves into less than flattering positions.
To be sure, Physical Education (PE) is a vital class, and that for all its, shall we say, humbling moments, we learn tenfold about teamwork and character building. Nevertheless, there are certain biological imperatives at work which preclude the average student from viewing the objective good of sweating it out with their peers.
Ruige K.
For 16-year-old Ruige K. however, the link between fitness and confidence couldn’t be more clear. As one of two Health & Wellbeing Prefects at Dulwich College Beijing (DCB), it’s his job to organize events that promote exercise and work closely with other departments in the school to ensure that wellbeing initiatives are included in everyday school life.
“Physical fitness is a state of health and wellbeing,” explains Ruige K. “Through proper nutrition, moderate to vigorous physical exercise, and sufficient rest, students can benefit immensely from an appropriate daily routine, reduce their stress level, and better engage with their daily academic and work activities.”
Using this platform as a point of departure, Ruige K. decided to launch his own Fitness ECA, hoping to give students a space in which to not only improve their physicality, but also “build better self-confidence.”
“I came up with the ECA because I realized that there has yet to be an ECA that focuses solely on exercise itself,” Ruige K. tells beijingkids. “Various sports teams do have fitness trainings, but physical trainings are often done to improve sports performance, not body image or awareness for exercise.”
When asked where his passion for fitness comes from, Ruige K. notes that unfortunately, his family has a history of chronic disease, and in particular, his grandmother who suffers from type II diabetes and mild dementia. “I think her conditions are both worrying to the family and were alarming to me when I was a child,” the Year 12 student says. As a result, he closely monitored what he ate from a very young age, describing it as “almost clinical.” Yet what began as a desire to stave off disease soon transformed into a journey towards positive body image.
“It became a positive cycle. The more I took care of exercise and nutrition, the more often I achieved balance and improved my physical abilities. And I, in turn, became more willing to take care of exercise and nutrition.”
This evolution from being consumed with illness to finding solace and self-actualization through exercise is precisely what set him up to become a successful athlete and fitness guru later in life, and specifically, at DCB.
“Through joining the varsity football team and badminton team, as well as my personal bodybuilding plans, I realized that health is not only void of disease, but a state of bodily confidence, outstanding physical abilities, and the will to promote fitness and exercise to those around you,” says Ruige K. “And I think this is an essential component of the Dulwich Values, which entail Resilience, Confidence, and Responsibility. I think that through exercise, students are more physically able and more willing to participate in sports they were previously unfamiliar with.”
While the gym is uniquely tailored to test comfortability with our bodies and physical wellbeing, it’s the rest of the school, and the greater sum of our lives that test our mental and emotional acuity. That is to say that no matter how strong a support network we have, and despite a school’s best intentions to provide its students with everything they need to flourish, it’s simply no small feat to cruise through life without ever needing a little help or reassurance.
To that end, Year 12 student, Jadelle C. makes up the second half of DCB’s Health and Wellbeing Prefects, helping her school community come to grips with the difficulties of growing up. Whereas Ruige K. promotes the fitness and exercise side of DCB’s robust wellness program, Jadelle C. works tirelessly to ensure that her peers never feel alone in the world.
Jadelle C.
“To be a Health and Wellbeing Prefect is to be responsible for the mental wellbeing and physical wellbeing of members in the Dulwich study community,” Jadelle C. tells beijingkids. “Some aspects of what my role entails are monitoring the wellbeing of students, organizing wellbeing awareness days, creating and delivering lessons, and providing a platform for student voices.”
At 17 years old, Jadelle C. has been interested in mental health since she was 12. At the time, she was not only working through her own internal struggles, but watching her peers go through similar issues.
“I have always displayed a high level of passion and empathy and wanted to make a real difference by helping others. I sincerely care about my peers and possess an enthusiasm and dedication for doing so.”
However it wasn’t until last year that she decided to pursue her passion for helping others in a more academic way.
“To support my journey, I completed an online course called The Science of Wellbeing delivered by Yale University last summer. The course was very eye-opening and equipped me to better serve others.”
Using what she learned in the Yale course, Jadelle C. was able to scaffold her wellbeing initiatives, the goal of which is to “forge stronger links between key stages as well as provide more structure to the student feedback we receive,” through various activities such as a ‘Stop the Stigma’ mental health survey, a personal sharing video challenge, and an anonymous Q&A session.
Needless to say, the activities have been a resounding success, and have not only shone a light on the importance of mental health, but enabled the students to build a holistic foundation upon which to learn and grow.
“To me, mental health is just as important as physical health and should be treated with the same regard,” explains Jadelle C. “Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social wellbeing and ultimately influences a student’s happiness and academic success.” Adding, “It absolutely affects our daily lives and shouldn’t be brushed under the rug like many people do because of misconceptions and stigma surrounding mental health.”
In terms of her future endeavors, and how being a Health and Wellbeing Prefect bolsters those plans, Jadelle C. says that career aptitude tests have consistently placed her in roles that help others, and that at this point, she’s confidently chosen a path forward.
“I have decided that another way to serve others is by studying the field of law. This will enable me to help people from a legal standpoint and be an advocate for their rights.”
No matter what the future holds for Jadelle C. and Ruige K., one thing is certain; in their roles as DCB’s Health and Wellbeing Prefects, they’ve provided their peers with the necessary tools to thrive and survive as they continue on their own journeys, deeper into the murky labyrinth of life.
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Photos: courtesy of Dulwich College Beijing, Unsplash
This article appeared in the beijingkids 2020 May issue
