Year 10 mentor group

YEAR 10

FRONT ROW: Sarah Zhu-Wilson, Jessica Marshall, Brooke Jones, Cecile Jin, Meghan Palmer, Edwina Rice, Sijia (Kylian) Chen, Issey Morris, Ms T McLean, Ashley Buchanan, Sophie Lui, Hannah Farrow, Flora Feng, Sienna Elmowy, Paige Natoli, Elizabeth Diakatos, Sally Williams

SECOND ROW: Eleni Sen, Yujing (Jing) Luo, Scout King, Catherine Xu, Lucy Tate, Elaine Koumi, Vivienne Lee, Chloe Ng, Melanie Chan, Xinyi (Olivia) Wu, Ella Berckelman, Caitlin Morris, Tiger Christensen, Jessica Shelley, Jemima Dunsmore

THIRD ROW: Jessica Best, Isabella Jacobson, Zhouheng (Nala) Hong, Taylah Milne, Abby Spencer, Rebecca Matthei, Wing Yan (Angel) Lai, Chenyi (Seline) Zheng, Jade Showniruk, Aysia d’Anthes, Asha Raghav, Judy Mansell, Elizabeth Tabbash, Tiana Vincent, Zoe Millar, Rowjana Bori

FOURTH ROW: Isabella Powell, Chloe Faddy, Izabella Fadel, Antonia Golfin, Gia Frost, Mia Warren, Ruby Kilbane, Charlie Barry, Hira Khan, Jessica Norman, Elena Schai, Macushla Flanagan, Jessica Lamb, Jamilla Ledet, Hally Baker, Alicia Bornor

FIFTH ROW: Isabella Southall, Brittany Duff, Grace Porter, Georgia Wilson, Eliza Twomey, Milla Ippindo, Jasmine Betts, Sacha Brown, Issey Cotton, Zuni Mendez, Francesca Heyko-Porebski, Georgia Pellegrini, Tara Hercz, Ella Swan, Tooske den Hollander, Georgia Slade

SIXTH ROW: Aisling Bligh, Summer Leury, Charlotte Stewart, Kiera Rosen, Ava O’Brien, Aspen Henderson, Hannah Collins, Mattison Ball, Jade Julian, McKenzie Ball, Lailah Prince, Saskia Ferster, Emily Nolan, Claire Smith, Allegra Slovitt, Eia Hickey Berry, Willamina Burke

SEVENTH ROW: Aimee Tainsh, Anna Simms, Ava Vaughan, Zahlia Baker, Hannah Johnston, Samantha Gately, Bianca Horrell, Olivia Revell-Reade, Katarina Saravanos, Amelia Staines, Madeline Hendrie, Claire Millhouse, Alice Yang, Jaimie Harrigan, Zoe Hall, Rosamunde Hood

ABSENT: Naomi Burgess, Chanel Golden-Petratos, Isabella Harvey, Imogen Hicks, Nico Jaffers, Gina Johnson, Xuan (Rosalind) Lu, Piper Macneall, Rebecca Marzol, Maya Munro, Lucinda Peace, Lana Reiter, Kate Ruming, Charlotte Saunders, Lydia Stevenage,

We girls need to stop hating each other and being hateable by hating each other. What I mean by this is to stop being against other girls or judging ourselves against other girls. Pulling a girl down to make yourself feel better or even pulling another girl down for no apparent reason other than to see them fail. Comparing our body with someone else’s – even if it’s a total stranger you see on the bus or walking down the street. Taking one look at someone you haven’t even met and judging their life. You don’t know what they’re going through.

We compare ourselves to others, and both subconsciously and out loud, criticise each other. Making what seems like a nice remark, when actually you’re mocking them.

Why are we like this? Is it even our fault?

In schools and in movies, it’s seen as normal for girls to be nasty and gossip, telling friends that this girl did that and that girl did this. Judging someone’s amount of sexual activity when you have no business doing so. In other words, ‘slut-shaming’.

Telling each other why you hate this girl and why you hate that girl, when really, you don’t hate them, you probably just hate the idea of them having something you don’t. Since when was it cool to criticise other girls, to mock other girls or passive-aggressively give them ‘compliments’?

Girl-on-girl hate is built on jealousy. That little green monster that eats you up inside and tells you that you can’t control it. When really, you are that monster. You are in charge of your own emotions and thoughts. Jealously isn’t something you can’t control – you can. You need to turn that jealously and envy into admiration and confidence.

But how do we stop being jealous? “It’s human nature” you might be thinking. Well, let’s get to the root of our girl-on-girl hate issues.

We’re all self-conscious: of a part of our body, our physical image. Or maybe you’re self-conscious of a certain aspect of your character. I don’t know. All I know is that we’re not happy with ourselves. Don’t worry, it’s not just you. Statistics from a worldwide survey showed that only 30 per cent of girls and women are content with themselves. Only 30 per cent! That is not OK. This statistic is horrible. Over half the female population hates themselves and compares themselves to another girl passively, that girl does the same, and the cycle continues.

Another horrible statistic: Girls aged 12 – 19 have the worst selfesteem. Most of it is from girl-on-girl hate. So let’s stop it.

Stop being so hard on yourself. Ourselves. Stop judging yourself. Stop looking in the mirror and picking out your flaws, rather, embrace what you love. In the great words of Lilly Singh on YouTube, who I admire dearly, “promote what you love, don’t bash what you hate.” It’s difficult; it’s hard. I’m not saying it’s easy. Basically, to summarise; be kind, passionate and supportive to other females. Don’t let others bring you down, and do not bring others down. Love yourself because you are worth it. Let’s stand together, not as individuals, but as girls, as a whole. We’ve got a load of issues we need to solve, so let’s get our act together. Promote girl love, not girl hate.

Flora Feng

When I was young − I knew this boy, His legs were always bruised, I often heard his screams and shouts, His eyes a race car rouge.

I’d see the boy across the road, Though barren were his feet, His mother running ‘round the yard, A game of ‘hide and seek’.

I never saw the sticks and stones, His knees would fall upon, but with a smile on his face, I guessed the games were fun.

I ceased to see the boy that day, nor did he haunt the dusk, I asked his mother where he went, her cheeks a race car rust,

I crossed the yard − went down the stairs, The boy still ‘hide and seeking’, She took a rag and held my mouth, The game induced nay peeking.

My fingers counted up to ten, Then slowly curled back down, The numbers jumbled in my head, Each breath another pound.

Soon but sure enough, My head fluttered to the floor, I saw the boy now fast asleep, His seeking sought no more.

What started as a blissful nap, Zoomed, round and round my head, As the wooden tracks around me, now were drenched in race car red.

Aysia d’Anthes