2023-2024 Theme

“quam bene vivas refert non quam diu”

At first, I was worried about choosing a theme for the Club this year. It was challenging mainly because I wanted to pick a good one. Near the end of last year when I was scrolling on my phone looking at all of these Latin and Greek quotes I found one that stood out. As soon as I saw it, I immediately fell in love and knew that it would be this year’s theme: “quam bene vivas refert, non quam diu”, it matters not how long we live, but how well we live it. There are three main reasons as to why it’s perfect for us this year.

As an officer and long-time member of the club, I’ve heard numerous things about other Latin programs around us. Unfortunately, Latin enrollment in general is down (although there are positive signs in other areas and schools). As much as we would love to for our Latin Club to last forever, forever isn’t guaranteed. But what is guaranteed is the long-lasting relationships and memories you make while you are a part of our wonderful family.

Another reason why I loved the quote is because of how people outside of our club can relate to the meaning. It’s something that can be interpreted in numerous ways. It can represent life and its wonderful yet difficult journey that we experience as we grow up. It can represent personal relationships, like friendships we make but unfortunately grow beyond. It can represent experiences, like past jobs or communities that we were once a part of that have ended. It can also represent even something as simple as a beloved object, like a childhood stuffed animal or a piece of jewelry you held close but has worn out as time passed.

A friend of mine that’s not in Latin Club, said the quote resonated with him as well. His reasoning was more or less along the lines of “being present during the present and to stop worrying about the future” and enjoy experiencing things like Powder Puff more rather than worrying about staying up all night stressing about grades and upcoming tests. Even when I asked my dad if he related to the quote he said yes, his reasoning: “growing old is not always a guarantee”. My dad may be a bit melodramatic, but what he said holds truth. Not only he, but my mom as well, always tell me that tomorrow is not a guarantee. Which is why we always make the most of the days we have by always saying “good night” and “I love you" when we get the chance and even have movie nights every week or so. Everyone can relate to this theme for various reasons; it’s not only exclusive to our community.

And finally, the main reason why I (personally) love this quote. As some of you may know by now, this is the last year a majority of our officers (myself included) and some of our senior members will be a part of the club. As much as graduates do come back and visit, it won’t be possible for us to come back all the time in the future. Everyone has to continue forward. When I finally take those real steps forward and think back on my experiences in Latin Club, I won’t dwell on the fact that it’s over, but on the wonderful friendships and beautiful memories I made.

I will think back to the time I won first place at my first in-person competition at Area and how happy it made me. I will think back to when I saw on Remind that I had become Aedile for Latin Club during the 2022-2023 school year and how I could not believe that I had actually won because I wasn’t very social at the beginning. I will think back to my first Nationals in Louisiana and singing “Bohemian Rhapsody” on a bus coming back from That’s Entertainment to go to our last State Fellowship of the week. I will think back to the time when I first learned how to play spoons and lost terribly in a classroom at Area. I will think back to the time when later on in that same year, while waiting to see if I got one of the positions for Consul, how I got really close to beating everyone at spoons (one day it will happen). And finally I will think back to the memories I will make this year and to the amazing people I met and became friends with because of Club.

Now, for everyone else who’s in their first, second, third, or fourth year, I encourage you all to make the best of your time while in the Club because I promise you’ll make some of the most memorable and amazing memories here. Just like me, and the many other people who have come through this amazing Club, because like the quote says: “quam bene vivas refert, non quam diu”, “It matters not how long we live, but how well we live it.”