Five years ago, if someone had told me that Sound and Lighting would become one of the biggest parts of my high school experience, I probably would have laughed. I didn’t join because I had a passion for sound desks or stage lights. In fact, I joined because of a friend. I was looking for something different. An extracurricular activity that suited who I was. I knew from the start that I wasn’t the type to spend afternoons chasing a rugby ball or standing in the sun for hours. I wanted something challenging in a different way, and that search led me behind the scenes.
At first, the crew seemed like a mystery. They looked like a group that had created their own little world, speaking a language that only they understood. They were not the students everyone recognised around school because their work happened behind the scenes. While others stood in the spotlight, they were the ones creating it. It was not until I became part of the team that I realized why they seemed so close. Long hours of setting up, solving problems together and sharing countless productions naturally turned strangers into family.
My first major production in Grade 9 completely changed my understanding of what Sound and Lighting really was. I had joined late in Grade 8 hence this was my first experience working on such a large-scale event. I remember being overwhelmed by the amount of technical equipment and unfamiliar terminology. What surprised me even more was how normal it seemed for everyone to stay at school until ten o’clock at night during rehearsals. Adjusting to those late evenings while keeping up with schoolwork was not easy but it became part of the experience.
Despite the challenges, that production gave me one of the proudest moments of my journey. I was operating on the spotlight, and at first it felt like a small job. Then I realised that without that one light, the audience would never have seen the main character make his entrance. It taught me a lesson that has stayed with me ever since: sometimes the smallest roles have the biggest impact. The audience rarely notices the people behind the scenes but they would certainly notice if those people weren’t there.
Over the years, Sound and Lighting has taught me far more than how to operate equipment. I’ve developed technical skills that I hope to continue exploring long after high school but the personal lessons have been even more valuable. Time management, discipline, patience and teamwork became part of my everyday life.
To anyone considering joining Sound and Lighting, my advice is simple: come ready to work as part of something bigger than yourself. This is not about individual recognition or standing in the spotlight. It is about creating unforgettable moments for everyone else. Be prepared to spend long evenings at school, to solve problems you never expected and to rely on the people around you. In return, you will gain more than technical skills instead you will gain a second family, lifelong lessons and memories that stay with you long after the lights fade.