Irreplaceable school life

'Schools open the doors
to education, friendships,
virtues and morals.'

One of the biggest flaws a lot of humans, including me possess, is the inability to understand the true value of something until it is taken away from us. Today as a student of Class 10, I'm constantly being reminded of the greatest joy of my life — school life. Hence, when I actually took the time out to sit and ponder on this statement, I realised the amount of truth the statement holds, which I understand better as each day flashes by and the time for me to graduate from school comes closer. I realised what it was about my school that I would miss with all my heart.

When I first joined my new school in Mumbai in Class 4, I was adamant to hate it. I had shifted from a British school in Vietnam and thus the atmosphere change was drastic, and having lost the chance to play a major role in a drama at my previous school, this one became my enemy. I disliked the move to such an extent that I even sang my previous school song instead of this school's song during assembly.

However, as the months passed, I found it harder and harder to not enjoy myself. Every day there would be some new activity, and the air in my class with pale bluebell coloured walls, and thirty children would be warm. It took me some time to make that one friend, nonetheless, the statement about friendships being vital for happiness didn't stand entirely true for me those few months. Maybe it was because I was accepted almost immediately, or maybe because I enjoyed the kind of work we were asked to throw ourselves into.

This is probably what I'm going to miss most when I leave my school; the amicable atmosphere, the benevolent batchmates and the intriguing ideas we are subject to.

I was able to discover three of my passions — writing, orating and athletics. I was sent to represent the school in various competitions, and the pride I felt when my name was announced during the morning assembly. This feeling is even more precious compared to the happiness I felt after winning a trophy. Once we become a student who is ready to give up their Sunday mornings for the benefit of the school, our whole life becomes dedicated towards making the place we study a well-renowned one which we can boast about. Through that love emerged in me a strong desire to become a leader of the school, to show the new generation of students how resplendent the place was. When I received my badge as the IGCSE head on January 26, 2017, I realised that it's schools like this one which can change you from a storm cloud into a rainbow.

Almost every single friendship I've made here has been one that I've cherished; yes we fought, yes I lost a great deal of people, but a great deal stuck by me too, and one cannot have a full school life without friends to run into during recess, or have a laugh with in between class. The teachers too have undoubtedly been extremely supportive, and guided us along the way.

(The writer is a Class 10 student at Billabong High International School,Thane.)