Seize the Moment
School Captain, Mali, started the year strongly with a rousing speech about making every day count.
Each week, our student leaders share their insights with their peers in Assembly.
As Year 12, on our first day back, sat in the Independent Theatre, learning about the processes of the HSC, it really sunk in that we are growing up. We are no longer timid little Middle School students, and we no longer have bundles of time to spend at School. It’s our very final year; we have one final timetable to print off, one final assessment schedule to receive, and one final locker to stuff with books before we buckle up, graduate, and enter the real world.
This bittersweet conclusion has led me to reflect upon phases (and possibly regrets) within my own schooling experience.
Year 7 began strongly for me, with my intense love for Minecraft song covers and ashamedly a vivid obsession with Mr Beast. In Year 8, I moved on to Harry Potter (I secretly had a major thing for the Weasley twins); by Year 9, it was Marvel TikTok POVs. I could go on, but I should try and save some of my dignity.
Whilst, surprisingly, I do not regret my involvement and enthusiasm in these developmental phases of my schooling, I do regret not seizing School opportunities with this same enthusiasm earlier on.
With the fear of being outside my comfort zone, in an environment in which I didn’t know many people, it took me a while to jump over the initial hurdle of discomfort. But we all need to spend some more time feeling a little uncomfortable.
With a new year up our sleeves and a clean slate on which to start afresh, this is the year to try something new. I encourage you to join a new club in Year 7, try a new sport in Year 8, attempt a new musical instrument in Year 9, and pick the subjects you truly love in Year 10, before seizing all opportunities in Year 11 and making Year 12 a time like no other … because I know for a fact that the last years of your schooling move way too fast. So, take some time to seize your moment and go after what you really want.
This is also the year to disregard others’ expectations or opinions of yourselves. Take the Australian Open Grand Final as an example; the 22-year-old Italian with a predicted 13% chance of winning took home the gold against the third-ranked player in the world.
No matter if you are an underdog, or have a 13% chance of succeeding, nothing is stopping you from doing so. Nothing is preventing you from going after what you truly want, and nothing is stopping you from getting there.
Most importantly, a new year at ³ûÖÊÓƵ is a reminder that we are not alone in our School journey. We are not isolated in our year groups or our friendship groups, but rather part of a vibrant and supportive community that will always be here to cheer us on.
Whether it is our amazing teachers, our fantastic peers or even our loving families, we will always be surrounded by a network of love and support that motivates us to strive to be the best versions of ourselves.
In the wonderful words of Ms Swain:
“Don’t forget your dreams. Hold on to them … and always help others with theirs.”
So, in this new year, take time to seize your dreams, disregard what others may think, and in the true spirit of the 2023-2024 Prefects’ theme of “Celebrate to Elevate”, help others to do so too.