Rosie Lewis – 11th November 2011
11:11.11 on 11/11/11
When I saw my name against this date in the calendar, I panicked. This was a once in a century day, how could my blog be as inspiring as this fact alone. My thoughts must outmatch the simple magic of seeing lots of ones in a line. Like a child looking at their Halloween loot, I’ve been staring at the date bewitched.
A week has passed at SCA since I discovered that my blog was due today. However, it was only on my journey home on the cattle cart that is the tube, flicking through the Evening Standard that I had my Eureka moment. It all came from a man and a subject that I had no previous interest in. Mike Tindall.
I should explain, for those that don’t know me, I may be the most unsuited person to sports in the world. I have previously hit a friend in the head with a racket, given myself concussion and cut my knee open falling off a skateboard I was sitting down on. I was even told off at a Roller Disco for not taking my lack of skills seriously enough.
So why you ask did I gain a sudden unexpected interest to write about Mike Tindall?
Today is Remembrance Day – and a man has ruined his reputation. Not only that but he systematically brought around his own downfall. As he sits at home tonight, the remnants of his career falling in tatters at his feet like confetti at a wedding, he must be asking himself a question. ‘How will I be remembered?’ Will it be for his feats on or off the field? The disintegration of his reputation did not happen on the field but in a bar, away from the press and among friends. This begs the question, are we ever off duty?
At SCA we too are a Rugby Team. We have many expectations on our shoulders from our coaches, who are training us. We are competing against other teams of students from all over the country (and further afield) to win pitches and jobs. Furthermore like a Rugby Team motorboating a blond in a bar while representing the school is not acceptable.
We were given a brief on privacy this week by Vodafone. The plight of Mike Tindall must highlight to us all that in this modern age of technology, a picture can be snapped on a phone and be on the internet in seconds. News is instant; gossip can travel quickly like a giant game on Chinese whispers. When we are representing the school we must always be thinking how we want people to remember us.
We are constantly meeting mentors at the school. It has become routine to have a conveyor belt of talent coming through the doors. This does not mean we can get lazy though. Every person is an opportunity to build our brand, our own reputation. By sitting in the corner quietly and industriously beavering away we do not look hardworking, but instead disconnected and uninterested. If we do not make an effort when we are on our own home-turf, relaxed and comfortable (with 27 other people to take the heat of us if needs be) how will we ever succeed in interviews and at networking events?
On this Remembrance Day we must think about how we want to be remembered.
I want to be remembered as happy, vivacious and creative. I want to always have a smile on my face. When my ECD says my first ten ideas are crap I am going to come back with a smile on my face and ten more. I will be happy, vivacious and creative if you meet me in college, at work or at an event. If you spot me at a bar away from the college and briefs and advertising I will still be that person. In Nudge (which we recently read) it talks about the Spotlight Effect. We all think people are watching us when really they aren’t. No one holds as much vested interest in ourselves as we do. However, I disagree a little. You never know who is around and it is always good to present yourself in way you would be proud of. We are all one motorboating blonde, one racist joke, one drunken fight, one loss of temper, away from sitting at home reputation in tatters.
So next week let us regroup anew. Reform our team and strive to be the best we can be.
