JC
Examiners love students who write with personality and passion. Read the question (in orange) and response (in green) below, then have a go at writing about your favourite festival or rock/pop/metal artist.
‘Festivals are dangerous places. These overlong parties cost a fortune and do nothing to improve the lives of the young people in attendance.’
Write an article for a broadsheet newspaper in which you argue your point of view on this statement.
Happier Than Ever!
Years and years into the future, I will still remember the myriad colours of the Glastonbury sky: the silver of the clouds as they move like spaceships; the purple of the sunset as my favourite band storms the Pyramid stage; the blackness of those incoming nights. And I’m not the only one. The experience of being at Glastonbury Festival is like getting a tattoo. Every second spent there is another drop of ink being permanently etched into your skin – when you think about the average tattoo cost, suddenly the money you need to buy a ticket to this five-day event seems relatively inconsequential. You’re paying for nearly a week’s worth of magic moments and memories that will stay with you forever.
Yelling that, “Festivals are a bad idea!” is like shouting at a butterfly for being too beautiful. And to say they’re too dangerous is to ignore the plethora of serotonin-levelling experiences. Yes, there is a sense that, at festivals, you’re allowed to break the rules a little, but that’s only because all the people in attendance share an inner moral compass which means the rigidity of ‘normal’ life feels like an unnecessary construct. If the misery merchants want to criticise this kind of liberated thinking – if they want to tell us off because we prioritise pleasure instead of micro-planning an existence without space for fun – then so be it. It’s worth remembering, though, that no one previously capable of doing the washing up or paying a bill departs Glastonbury suddenly unable to do those things.
More than that, it’s absolutely true that a person leaving the Glastonbury site is unlikely to do so without having picked up some kind of new life skill. You want some examples? Well, here are some good ones. How about the ability to be happy? More than that – to be happier than EVER! At a time when mental health concerns dominate every educational establishment, surely practising enjoying yourself is a worthwhile use of our time. Then there’s the camping, the setting up of tents and all the other aspects of outdoors life that improve us as team players. It’s also worth considering the benefits that come from meeting strangers: communication, compassion and consideration are all critical when living within this kind of social network.
To all the naysayers, then, I say: STOP BEING BORING. Take the steps necessary NOT to condemn festivals but to celebrate them. Show some heart and understand that, yes, Glastonbury is a place to gather with your bros, but that, equally, it’s way more than just a party. It’s not the hell pit you imagine in your nightmares. Your brutal assessment of the festival experience is ill-judged. Sooner or later, I hope you realise that.
TASK 1
‘Festivals are dangerous places. These overlong parties cost a fortune and do nothing to improve the lives of the young people in attendance.’
Write an article for a broadsheet newspaper in which you argue your point of view on this statement.
OR
‘The music young people listen to does nothing to improve their lives.’
Write an article for a website in which you argue your point of view on this statement.
You may want to use some of the techniques listed below:
Once you’re done, you can send your articles in. We want to publish the most exciting writing and offer advice.
Then have a go at this Billie Eilish lesson!