Odyssey's Students' View of the meaning of life at Odyssey
You only have one body in this life, and you have to respect and take care of it. Accepting our body is important, because you can't trade it in for a new one, no matter what you do. At Odyssey we challenge our bodies without hurting them (e.g., taking “safe risks” – like at camp), which builds our self-esteem.
–Sam 09, Talia 07
In school you will be presented with lessons. Be able to approach all opportunities with openness, fairness, and grace. It is your choices to do so, and to gain what education you can from life's lessons by figuring out what to do when you don't know what to do.
– Jordan 07, Darby 09, Erin 08, Sikander 07
“Mistakes” happen daily, but every mistake can be a lesson. A mistake can be a lesson for others when it is looked back at with a humorous attitude. For example, when Katie left her door open and her cat pooped on her stuff, she learned to close her door. Now, she has a funny story to tell. Sometimes your mistakes affect only you but normally they affect you and others. If you make a mistake, your friends should forgive you. If they don't, they have bad ethics, and are not compassionate enough to be your friend. Your lesson is that you need new friends.
–Kathy 07, Shangnon 08, Katie 09, Grant 09, Erik 08
Are you walking the walk or talking the talk? Odyssey asks you this question in order to raise your awareness of yourself. After all, the ideal Odyssian speaks of nothing they can't do. If it means they must try over and over to accomplish something, they will take all the time necessary to complete the task. For an Odyssian, it is never easier said than done.
–Jolani 07, Lara 07, Mackey 08, Matt 09
Painting the same picture over and over is like not expanding your comfort zone. If you don't try to get better at what you are already good at, then you are not learning. Remember, there is always room for improvement – thus, learning never ends. Surrender yourself to the commitment of learning infinitely; be flexible so that no matter what is thrown at you, you can learn from it.
–Reed 08, AJ 07, Camille 09, Samann 09
Don't be unattached to who and where you are. You must find gratitude for your life as it is. Even if you try to run away from your problems, you will not find peace. You must seek the abundance of knowledge and joy in the situation that you are in.
– Arun 07, Alexis 09, Carson 08, Aaron 08
At Odyssey, we try to show the quality of our character through our work and our actions. If you do that, then the people around you will learn by your example and respect the quality and conduct of your character.
–Sienna 07, Natalia 09, Kyle 08, Nicholas 08
“Shared pain is half the pain, but shared joy is twice the joy”. This is one of the many important Odyssey philosophies. At Odyssey, we try to lay the foundation for the virtues we want to develop, as we get older. We try to embody these philosophies by being responsible for our actions and controlling our power. We should use our courage to embark on an adventure while stepping out of our comfort zones and releasing our emotions to others. As we grow emotionally and physically and gain control of our lives, we begin to realize and understand that what you make of your life really is up to you.
-Michelle 07, Shaina 08, Ben 08
Integrity. Integrity is what comes from inside of you to keep you on track. It is what you do when you're not being supervised. Common senses, initiative, respect for others and control of your emotions are all aspects of integrity. Integrity is learning to listen to others but trust your own instincts so that you do what's right.
–Cara 09, Laura 07, Burt 08, Brian 08, Sarah 09
Faith, wisdom and limitlessness. The new Odyssey student was next in line for the super swing, and very scared. Even though she was still as a rock, her heart was beating like a drum on a warship. Trying to forget everything going on around her, she slid her feet off the platform, and in a matter of seconds, she splashed into the water. She had never felt that satisfaction of courage during that one swing, believing that it may never happen again. Keeping faith in herself, she captured the moment when a new flower inside of her blossomed. One of our rules at Odyssey is to take note of any accomplishment you achieve and soak it in very deeply. The wisdom Odyssey students have is limitless as their teachers fill their heads with extraordinary matters. They learn from their mistakes and capture the moment as they experience the world around them.
–Kevin 07, Alex 08, Willy 09, Rachel 09
