Playground interviews- Big Life Questions

Could ET be our reality? What are all these romcoms about? Apart from my clear obsession with movies these questions about life create a profound difference in our lives based on our answers. I took to the playground and school hallways again to ask the students and staff my big life questions. 

"Aliens? Gods? Nothing? The people of Coopers have many different ideas of what exists in our universe.

Is there more life out there?"

• Definitely, there’s a whole galaxy full of life out there. Our perfect conditions for life doesn’t mean that it’s perfect for every possible life. There will be creatures that don’t need a universe. 

• *Long pause* I don’t think so no.

• Yeah, parallel universes. There’s a very small chance that we exist, there's even smaller chances we’re the only ones.

• No, well God created Earth for humans and doesn't mention anything else. 

• The chances there aren't, are less than there are. We found many of the building blocks of life on the asteroid. 

• Yes there has to be, we can't be the only living things. It’s also boring if we were the only things.

• Probably, humans are self-absorbed if they believe us to be the only life.

• Yeah aliens are real but when die you die, you know? 

• Yes but it’s not intelligent it’s like a microbe in a rock they too far for us to reach.

• Yeah mate, like, other planets.

• The universe is so big it’s so statistically probable that there is other life out there but I’m not like religious like that so I don’t think it’s a God or anything.

"Things just really get on our nerves sometimes and some things seem to cause so many problems. If you had the opportunity to get rid of one object in the world what would it be and why?" Here are  some of our students and staff‘s answers.

• Gun or something, maybe knives.

• Get rid of chairs so  everyone has to sit on the floor and on public transport there’s no chairs and they’re all sitting on the floor and there’s no seatbelt so when they go over a bump they will fall over.

• Men’s skinny jeans 100%.

• Money because it’s so greedy and destructive. 

• Laptops because you can’t have laptop and tablet you need to pick one. 

• Door Knobs so you can just push it. 

• Sanitary products that women have to pay for #periodpower. 

• Sandals they're just hideous. 

• Put me on the spot there... I’m thinking kiwis. I’m just not a fan, they're a bit hairy and trying to be different, it doesn’t make sense. 

• Everything has some kind of purpose there’s always some sort of positive, even the worst things 

• Stanleys- I hate Stanleys, real or fake. 

• Machetes have no use, knifes do but machetes don’t. 

• Flat pillows. Do you know when it’s a bit of a poop pillow and just so thin. My pillows were like that and I bought new pillows and it’s really improved my life dramatically. 

• Tights. I hate tights, they're so annoying and itchy and just get ladders. 

• Phones so people can interact and be more social. 

• American footballs because it’s least supreme than all the other sports.

• Do you know those shoes that have the imprint of the toes? Cause they’re ugly.

• A picture frame because you don’t need it, just stick your photos up with blue tack. 

• 'Open door' button on trains cause people annoy me. When people are pushing it before it’s activated it’s like mate what are you doing?

• Stairs because why do I do the equivalent of one PE lesson just to get to maths. 

• Plugs cause I keep stepping on them. 

• Those really ugly chunky trainers. 

• I really like all the objects in my life. 

• Men’s skinny jeans because they look awful.

• Football because I feel like people, especially in this in this country, love football too much so if they don’t have football they’ll do something actually interesting. 

• That’s a very difficult question... maybe a nuclear bomb. 

"The new Bridget Jones movie coming out has me pondering what love is. I am a sucker for romcoms and love what it is all centred around. But what do our students and staff think? What is love?" 

• Love is respect.

• Me. 

• A choice. 

• An emotional and strong bond. 

• What is love? Baby don’t hurt me- I think love is too deep for the Learning Zone. Love is commitment and respect probably. 

• Getting a rose on valentines day. 

• To know me is to love me. 

• Love is the equivalent of getting your test back when your teacher said they’d give it to you. 

• Chemical reaction.

• Home.  

• Jesus aka the GOAT. 

• Oh I’m very inexperienced in this department... maybe a nice feeling?

• An experience. 

• "Baby don’t hurt me". 

• Unconditional. You love when they’re good and they’re bad.

• Emotional connection that’s mutually recognised. 

• As Mr Kinnard said; "hard to describe".

• "If you look around, I think you’ll find that love actually is all around". 

• Love is an unexplainable force between two people that brings them together, but like, I don’t think you can ever fully understand it.  

• When two people feel attracted to another on a way they can’t describe.

• A soul connection.   

• Love is a psychological thing. It’s a chemical imbalance in the brain, a mix of adrenaline and the happy hormone... whatever that is. 

Unfortunately, many of us will spend Valentines alone but here at Coopers’ Chronicles we want to help you secure one for next year. Those who know me know I’m a sucker for a pick up line (my fav is “If Jesus can turn water into wine, he can turn you into mine") however I’m still single. So I asked the crowd what their best pick up lines are so I can maybe try them out and have better luck. So here they are. 

"What is the best pick up line?" 

• If you were a vegetable you’d be a cutecumber. 

• Are you tired? Because you’ve been running through my mind all day. 

• If you were a bogey I'd pick you first. 

• Are you from Tennessee? Because you’re the only 10 I see. 

• What’s cooking good looking. 

• If you were a transformer you’d be Optimus fine. 

• Did it hurt? When you fell from heaven. 

• Do I look like a man who has pick up lines? I’m the most awkward person. 

• I just grazed my knee! Falling for you. 

• I was reading the book of numbers this morning and realised I don’t have yours.

• I’d love to take you to the movies but they don’t allow snacks. 

• If I could rearrange the alphabet I’d put U and I together.

What if you’d been offered a course you’d love to do, you'd go right? But it’s £9,000 and in 6 months with no student finance. Now what? Do you give up, or scramble? We asked the students and staff for some advice, here’s what they said. 

"If you needed to make £9,000 in the six months what would you do?" 

• Invest in bitcoin 

• Crypto 

• Sell a kidney x5

• Such a good question, I would consult with my dad and find a way

• Well in this economy, nothing 

• Get a full time job 

• Buy and sell cars 

• Bet on football games maybe Liverpool 

• Work for it 

• That’s too long I’m sure you could make that in 3 months 

• Sell your child 

• I would... I would... Start an online bakery where I make personalised treats and deliver them to your door

• Sell my teeth

• Sell my house 

• Well, I’d do my job 

• Become Mr Hanford’s best friend 

  
  

So what do you think? Most of us believe in some sort of aliens, so you can expect a visit from ET soon. It is clear that skinny jeans have no place on this earth, so please consider burning any you own but also be you I’m sure you can rock them? I will definitely be watching the new Bridget Jones movie as I hope you will and I personally hope it’s a bit more than a chemical reaction otherwise I’ve been watching loads of science films - gross. My pick up lines have just got better, hopefully they will bring me a Valentine for 2026. I still have two kidneys so maybe if I changed that I’d be able to go on my acting course, I guess I’ll consider it. (Just kidding, don't actually sell your kidney... or your house... or your teeth).

So that’s it for now. I hope you haven’t fallen into a mental black hole. Let me know what questions I should ask next time. 

Love + Prayers,                                                                                                                       

Jess Shorter