Text: “OCSA” – “IA,” “MT,” “DM,” “CV,” “CMD,” “DMS,” “VA,” etc.

Context: CS is a 21 year-old college student from Southern California who attended the Orange County School of the Arts in Santa Ana. This school is referred to by its acronym, “OCSA” (pronounced “osha”), and is made up of many different acronyms for the different artistic focuses the school offers. CS discusses being identified by the acronym of the school, as well as one’s artistic focus–acronyms, at this school, become a shorthand for what kind of person an individual is, and what stereotype that person might fulfill. For instance, a Musical Theater (“MT”) student might be seen as highly competitive, whereas a Visual Arts (“VA”) student might be assumed to be much more reserved and introverted than other students. Other acronyms listed above include Integrated Arts (“IA”), Digital Media (“DM”), Classical Voice (“CV”), Commerical Dance (“CMD”), and the Dance, Music, and Science building (the “DMS”).

Analysis: It’s interesting how the proliferation of acronyms at this school led to a kind of stereotyping or role-assigning, almost similar to the clique stereotypes seen at other high schools. CS discussed quizzing substitute teachers on the acronyms of the school, and assimilating quickly to the culture of the school through learning acronyms–she also discussed the panic of not recognizing an acronym that someone identified themselves with. The acronyms, at this school, very much make up a part of student identity and represent being part of an in-group. Not recognizing acronyms or not conforming to the common stereotype of one’s acronym could result in ostracization or judgement from peers, functioning as an extension of the high school social eco-system, rather than something passive outside of it.