It has been two weeks since the shadow program started up, and if you are struggling on “what should I do with my shadow?” then this is the article for you.
First things first, when you get that email saying that you have a shadow, tell your teachers that you will have a shadow that day and ask what their policy is on shadows. Then, on the shadow day, introduce your shadow to the teacher and follow whatever they said. This will help not only your teacher to be prepared for the next day, but it helps your shadow know who the teacher is.
Try finishing your homework before your shadow day. By finishing your homework you’ll not only relieve stress, but you will be able to guarantee that you can show your shadow everything around Loyola.
Speaking of which, take your time. If you show your shadow everything all at once, most likely your shadow will forget about it if you don’t go back to it. Just show them the important places like the east and west gyms or the STEM labs.
Everyone’s first instinct is to show your shadow around the entire school, which is a great way to show them how to get around the place, but one thing is to make sure to give them tips on how to get around. Tell them to just memorize where each of your classes are instead of the layout of the school. Another good tip is to memorize where the closest bathrooms are to the classes that you have.
If you are not talking to your shadow that much, then start making small talk. By doing this you can figure out what your shadow is interested in. After that, talk to them about that interest. Also either show them the places they can go to depending on their interest, or tell them about the clubs that follow along the line of their interest. Try to be as friendly as possible because your goal is to get them into this school next year and not talking to them isn’t going to sell them on being here.
Introduce your shadow to friends. They will find out how people socialize and, hopefully, see how friendly everyone is. Seeing people interact with each other is a perfect way to show shadows why Loyola Academy is a place to be.
Hopefully these tips will help you connect with your shadow and convince them to come to Loyola.
