Do You Really Know Me?

Photo Courtesy of CTCHANNEL.WORDPRESS.COM

BY SYDNEY ALTMAN

Imagine a high school in which different cliques co-exist peacefully.  Imagine the eradication of bullying in totality.  Imagine getting to know fellow classmates solely for who they are, rather than on preconceived judgments.  Many high schools around the country no longer have to imagine these idealistic experiences; they are living them thanks to the revolutionary new MTV series, If You Really Knew Me.

This new innovative documentary series premiered in late summer 2010.  The show’s concept is simple:  to break down the barriers that cliques form and to create unity among the students within a particular high school.  Each week, the Challenge Day crew visits a new high school.  After participating in icebreakers to help loosen the students up, the program’s directors steer the meeting in a different direction.  The atmosphere goes from light and fun to emotional and enlightening.  Students break off into assigned groups and wear their hearts on their sleeves as they give insight and share the truth about what life is truly like being them.  At the end of the day, the bond that is created through sharing similar experiences changes everyone’s perspectives.

Within their assigned groups, students are able to share their personal thoughts and stories, from combating a broken home or parent’s divorce, to overcoming insecurities, to dealing with thoughts of suicide.  The issues these students face are common.  What many come to find is that these shared experiences bring everyone closer together, and prove to be common and relatable amongst the greater high school population. 

“If You Really Knew Me illuminates the power and strength that young people have when they share and connect in a vulnerable and authentic way,” said Jaime Polson, Chief Executive Officer of Challenge Day in an interview with MTV.com. “We truly believe that this series has the power to transform people’s lives, and by working with MTV, we’re able to bring Challenge Day to even more people across the country.”

All over the country, high school students are connecting to this show.  Whether a school is located in the rural suburbs or in an urban city, people go through similar life experiences.  All schools have their cliques, mean girls, and bullies.  Combating labels and understanding someone’s emotional well-being is central to Challenge Day values.  If You Really Knew Me enhances the ideal that nobody is alone in the world.

“When I saw people’s reactions on the show, it made me  realize that you don’t know if the person sitting right next to you in class is going through the same thing you are,” senior Kelly Ventura said.  “There’s so much negativity in our school and there shouldn’t be.”

Students at Cooper City High School feel a strong connection to this series.  The emotional rollercoaster the televised students go through is relatable and honest, tugging at the heartstrings of all viewers.

“I cried through a lot of the episodes because there are a lot of kids that are going through these problems and don’t have anyone to talk to,” senior Millie Nagar said.  “I want people to feel comfortable in the school environment and not feel judged 24/7.”

The universal values of acceptance and understanding are important to CCHS students Nagar and Ventura, who have established a new club, One Love, inspired by the hit series.  After seeing the devastation that rumors have on fellow classmates, the girls felt a need to organize a club dedicated to eliminating judgments and stereotypes.  They plan on organizing activities that are similar to those of Challenge Day.  By simulating the events of the show, they hope to bring unity to CCHS.  Nagar and Ventura understand that opening up your innermost secrets is a process and won’t be done immediately.  Ice-breakers will be used to loosen students up so that they feel comfortable with one another.  In order for One Love to adhere to it’s mission of recreating If You Really Knew Me, they want to raise funds so that the actual Challenge Day crew can possibly come to CCHS and instill their cherished values firsthand.

“This club and show will definitely change the way people view each other because they actually get to know one another,” Nagar said.  “You will actually get to learn from their experiences and see the person as more than what they look like on the outside.”