As the school year nears its end students and staff start the existential count down until their summer break can begin. One person in BHS however is not counting down. English teacher Joel Squadroni has been teaching at Buffalo High School for many years and survived without counting down the days until summer starts for quite a while.
In Squadroni’s class he talked about how existentialism is the idea where there is a difference between existing and living. Existing means you’re just going through the day. Living means you’re actually engaging life.
Some teachers have the count down written on their white boards everyday telling everyone how many days until school is over. Not Squadroni though. Although he never counts down he holds no animosity towards them because they don’t bother him at all. He’s glad people enjoy them.
When asked why he doesn’t count down his response was, “You know what, we’re alive today. Let’s make the most out of this day instead of thinking about that day coming up ahead of us. Because sometimes what we do is we get so busy counting off the days that are left in anticipation of something that we don’t get to take advantage of those days and live them the way we should.”
Most people count down because they’re bored.
Junior Alexis Garcia is one who agrees. “I count down because I’m ready for summer, and I can’t wait until I don’t have to do homework anymore.” Said Garcia.
Sqaudroni wouldn’t disagree with counting down school days, but you having nothing to do so you decide to count down day isn’t any better than being regularly boring. He thinks that when people get bored or tired and they see no value in what they’re doing anymore because It’s become meaningless, we’re wasting a lot of life.
However when asked if he thought students or staff participate more in the count down, his answers were different.
“I believe that teachers count down more because teaching is a stressful job and summer is a wonderful time for teachers.” Said Squadroni. He would like to emphasize that we shouldn’t get so caught up in counting down the school days when there are more important things happening and going on around us.
“The more you count down, the less time you have to enjoy life.”
