– Muhammad Abdullah Javed
Before the commencement of a new academic phase, the dawn of a new year witnesses a transition. This transformation sets the tone for our students to shape their future. These are slogging days at the schools and very soon students will move from schools to college and from lower grades of the college to graduation. This transition from school to college marks the end of a transient-friendship, a camaraderie spanning ten to twelve years with a heartfelt expression… Abhi na jao chhodh kar ke dil abhi bhara nahi – don’t leave now, for the heart is not yet filled. The shoulders they once relied on and rested peacefully are now transforming. The shoulders that are bound to come their way demand that they stand straight, no leaning here. Yes, in college life the dependency inculcated and synchronised with their sense during schooldays paves the way for an independent approach.
One of life’s hard realities is that the phases change. From mother’s womb to the world, then from school to college. The transition from school has a lot in store, it is the place where knowledge acquisition, art of learning, skill development and bonding with classmates all took place. This sustained process empowers each student with the criterion to distinguish between right and wrong and enables them to take decision and stand firmly on their ground. This transition should be perceived positively as realistic assessment can revolutionise their thought process and shape their future.
Bonding with the teachers
One of the most common aspects of school life is the chunk of a day’s time spent with the teachers. This bonding is that of a giver and a receiver and the interaction must yield concrete outcomes. Almost ten to twelve years of interaction within the confines of a school is well-defined and goal-oriented, with specific formats of evaluation at regular intervals in the form of tests and assessments. Such a definitive relationship between the teachers and students eventually results in growth mindset.
The students who seldom think of taking a course beyond the four walls of campus that bounded them for years, finally realise the reality of outside world. This enlightenment is due to the invaluable blessings they receive over the years in the form of knowledge, an ability of its application, mutual respect and a sense of gratitude. These four qualities help students scale the height of academic excellence. The knowledge yields more knowledge, its application finetunes their innate skills, mutual respect acts as an adhesive force that strengthens the bond with teacher and gratitude helps generate energy required to scale academic heights.
The camaraderie with fellow classmates
The nature of friendship with the classmates in school remains unmatched throughout life. No other relationship can come closer to the transparency, love, care, informality and ease shared with schoolmates. With such an invaluable realisation, students are now ready to move out of their campus. Their classmates scatter like the carrom coins, spreading across different areas and cities with their own preferences. The possibility of ensuring the same camaraderie in all academic endeavours fade out. Nevertheless, what remains possible is keeping the friendship alive with regular communication.
The friendship always results in transformation. Good and bad habits and traits, as well, ultimately transfer when two persons engage in regular interactions. Therefore, friendship always stands as a benchmark to judge a person’s calibre, as the company one keeps reveals everything, and the trust and helping attitude regarded as true essence of friendship.
What students have learned, corrected and contributed to their classmates’ growth matters a lot. It serves as a yardstick to measure the depth of their friendship. The same rule applies to their friendship in college. If they have formed their friendship on the bases of learning and mutual cooperation during their school days, they will eventually end up forming friendship with students who share similar values. If they have corrected their friend’s unhealthy attitudes and supported for their academic excellence, they remain heartthrob and every individual who wants to be academically and morally sound will aspire to be in their companionship. On the contrary, if they have cultivated bad habits or insincerity with their schoolmates, they will remain in hunt of those who share these unhealthy traits.
Making new friends at college requires students to apply their grown-up experience of vibrant bonding from their school days. A friendship that lasts long is a proof of genuine bonding of the two individuals and their pure intentions. Like a tree, it remains rooted in the ground, bear fruit and provide shelter, so is friendship if firmly grounded with a definite purpose, yield results like academic excellence and heightened characters.
Dwelling in the past can hinder growth and weakens emotionally, instead keep-walking and let’s-move-on mindset develops resilience and helps remain a champion. Schooldays have empowered students with all that is needed. The lessons learned with regard to the nature of relationship with the teachers and essence of friendship are not just greatest assets, they remain guiding principles for the opportunities and challenges ahead. As the shoulders change, let our students move forward confidently with a firm determination to learn from the past and to make the future promising in every sense.
