My address to freshers at JMC 2010
Gosh!! nothing seems different....there you are and here I am...this is where I stood for many days for three years of my life, leading assembly some 29 years ago, when I was your age.
Sister Marina John, members of the Faculty, parents of meritorious students and friends,
It is indeed an honour for me to be here once again, this time as a guest, this morning at my alma mater. A heartfelt thank you, for inviting me to this Parent Teacher Student association meet.
I have the unique privilege today of saying this to you, that before any of you students were born, I was studying in Jesus & Mary College.
Twenty-nine years ago, when I walked into the portals of this college, seeking to mould myself into being significant and spectacular, I was then, like many of you today, a teenaged, naive and yet “know it all” girl. College was my ticket to freedom, to being finally counted as an Adult.
I had secured admission to not one, but to three elite colleges of Delhi! The colleges were St Stephen’s, Lady Sri Ram and Jesus and Mary, with JMC being last on my priority list. But just before I was to make up my mind finally, I decided to check JMC out very grudgingly.
I walked in very sure that I would reject it outright....after all, having always been in co-ed schools, why would I settle for an all girls college... and specially for one that sounded severely austere and monastic!.
Well, I was in for the surprise of my life....walking down the corridors of Jesus and Mary college, I noticed the walls were clean, the floors were cleaner, and the corridors were silent....there were sounds, but they were muffled and there were no paan stains, no beedi stubs, no crumpled paper, the place was absolutely sanitized ..... and in the classrooms....there were whole desks and chairs, not benches and broken furniture.... and the window panes, were all intact...not one broken or hanging on its hinges....
I was convinced that I was in the wrong place...how can this be a college, this was worse than the most disciplined convent school. Absolutely sure that this was not going to be my choice, I happily traipsed down the isolated corridor only to stop to watch, as someone was walking down purposefully from the other end. She was tall, and her robes were flapping behind her as she strode down the corridor, each foot making a clicking sound as it touched the clean floor. She was very sure of herself and looked like she owned the place. Behind her there was a huge dog, no maybe it was a calf...no no, it moved rather quickly and it most certainly looked like a dog.
I just stood there, mesmerised by her stride and waited as she approached...soon I was looking up at her and I saw these steel grey blue eyes, that belonged to a tall Nun in a grey habit. In her firm voice, she asked me what I was doing in her college and how she could help me. I was not going to be scared by a nun, or at least show her that I was, even if she was rather tall, so I said well, I am here to check your college out. I was taken aback when she said, Come to my room. I followed her up to the room, not knowing she was the Principal. That afternoon, I spent time with a most fascinating woman. Her conversation with me touched on the most bizarre and unexpected topics, we shared knowledge of each other’s lives and she told me of how she gave up her successful business in Ireland to become a nun and her love for India. She was Sister Agatha McLoughlin and if there was one singular reason for me to be in JMC, it was because of her.
She was an angel, but also a stern task master, which we discovered to our consternation, a few months later and of course she was difficult to please, as some Principals can be, but she was also surprisingly the most popular Principal of Delhi University, the only one with Groucho beside her. Groucho was the calf I mentioned earlier, I mean the sheep dog. She was most popular among the boys who came to our festivals and who, despite getting their ears pulled for plucking flowers from her garden to present to her, would be invited to share cake and tea with her. That was Sister Agatha, even today I am surprised when I meet grown men who tell me about their special relationship with her....well, we did keep in touch intermittently for many years, till she passed way.
If you are wondering why I am sharing all this with you today...it is to let you know that this college and the time I spent here was the most exhilarating and I had a blast...never once did I regret not going to St Stephen’s, (that was on the top of my wish list) nor to LSR (which I was sure was not for me). Suffice to say, that three years flew by and I lived each moment thoroughly...packing it with activities, academics and much drama...that, as you know by now, you never run short of, in an all girls college.
I won’t bore you with details of many funny incidents that my batch mates and I, often chuckle over. Like all batches before us and those that followed, we too were given up on, by our teachers, who dreaded what we would become, because we were more out of class, than in it. But we charmed our professors with all we had, whether it was fighting with them to have a festival with boys visiting us or a play or a rock show or even skip the mandatory tutorial occasionally. I can see many teachers still here, who taught me, and I should tell you that many of the alumni, still remember each of you fondly, as we exchanges notes often.
Incidentally, we also had the good fortune of having the first male professor in our time. I know you’re probably thinking, what’s the big deal about that, but for us and for Perdie as he was lovingly called, it was a big deal. He was the centre of many of our pranks which he graciously and laughingly endured, from mass bunking of his classes, to his shoelaces being tied, to make him fall.
Yes, we did manage to tie his laces one time.....But, make no mistake, we were also a charming bunch of girls...and so charming that this male professor, Perdie, went on to marry one of us and she now is a Professor with you. I leave it to you to find out, if you don’t know by now, who she is.
Well, girls, the one big mistake many of us make is to take our college experience for granted, as just a small step between high school and the real world. I hope you don’t make that mistake. This is the best period of your life and don’t let anything or anyone take that away from you...along with great learnings, you get to experience, to live and to make your own choices... Up to this point in your lives, most things have been decided for you. Although you may have been getting plenty of advice on what to do or choose for you future, from now on, it is up to you to choose. I say make a choice when you are fully awake, a choice that is informed by your heart and not by what others say or think or believe.
It’s sad that people don't look at college education as “schooling for life”. College has become a kind of a rat-race; the value of a degree is often based on social perception rather than concrete education. The nicer the college one is accepted by, the better it looks on your resume, and the more likely you are, to get a job — at least, thus goes the general belief.
There is a strong conviction among most young people and it’s not entirely misplaced, that the choice of college and the subjects chosen, will shape their lives. My personal belief is that everything around you, shapes and colours your life and most of it is done in your mind, your thoughts make you what you are and what you become. I am saddened to see many pursuing higher education, because they have nothing better to do, specially young women, who often end up seeking a degree, of least interest to them, in the hope of biding time before a predictable and arranged marriage.
In our pursuit of more, and more, one doesn’t remember to live with values that were once taught to us. This is critical to our development as a generation and as a people - the learning, of how to live your life, how to be true and honest to yourself, to your potential and to people around you. It begins here, at college when you are not being constantly monitored, tutored or relentlessly told what and how to do. This is where you actually begin to shape your future and this where you need to be extra conscious of your surroundings, of your readings, of the people in your life and of course your goals. Make no mistake, in college, you do gain a wealth of knowledge, learn to think in more complex ways, and begin to come into your own as a young adult. My advice to you, don’t get involved in more activities than you can handle and spread yourself too thin, be realistic and give priority to your goals.
But I do say, use your college education and the associations and friends therein, to help you master the TEXT BOOK OF LIFE. Our contribution to the world, will not be measured by the money we make or the accolades we receive, but rather by the way in which we share our unique gifts with the world. Today's achievements, (and many of you are here for the special recognition that the University of Delhi confers on you) may fade or even be forgotten. The applause may become a distant memory and your certificates and medals may gather dust on a shelf or in a drawer. But, you will always be remembered for caring enough, for helping someone, for making someone feel special and appreciated and for being the kind of person that others enjoy spending time with.
So Ladies, as you face and tackle the inevitable changes that will unfold in your lives, hold true to yourself. Remember to hold onto your value system, your work ethic and most importantly, your humanity. It is these qualities that will guide you further, on your journey. Channelize these into making your life, an act of grace.
While you move on to greater achievements, I hope you will also take time out, to thank your parents for the sacrifices they make every day to give you this unique experience of higher education. For, without their support and encouragement, you will not travel far.
Gratitude in larger measure, should also go to the faculty and management, of institutes such as JMC, which create and shape, thinking individuals, humane and caring individuals, such as you.
So in the end, I can only suggest to you here, to choose well..
choose to share and partake,
choose to be fearless and true,
choose to honour and regard
and choose to live a life full of relish and involvement.
Let me leave you with a quotation from John Updike...”You cannot help but learn more, as you take the world into your hands. Take it up reverently, for it is an old piece of clay, with millions of thumbprints on it. “
Fear not errors and omissions that you will make, but enjoy the exposure and glory in it all ! Your life is a fabulous opportunity - I have no doubt that you will make the best of it!
Thank you.
Sister Marina John, members of the Faculty, parents of meritorious students and friends,
It is indeed an honour for me to be here once again, this time as a guest, this morning at my alma mater. A heartfelt thank you, for inviting me to this Parent Teacher Student association meet.
I have the unique privilege today of saying this to you, that before any of you students were born, I was studying in Jesus & Mary College.
Twenty-nine years ago, when I walked into the portals of this college, seeking to mould myself into being significant and spectacular, I was then, like many of you today, a teenaged, naive and yet “know it all” girl. College was my ticket to freedom, to being finally counted as an Adult.
I had secured admission to not one, but to three elite colleges of Delhi! The colleges were St Stephen’s, Lady Sri Ram and Jesus and Mary, with JMC being last on my priority list. But just before I was to make up my mind finally, I decided to check JMC out very grudgingly.
I walked in very sure that I would reject it outright....after all, having always been in co-ed schools, why would I settle for an all girls college... and specially for one that sounded severely austere and monastic!.
Well, I was in for the surprise of my life....walking down the corridors of Jesus and Mary college, I noticed the walls were clean, the floors were cleaner, and the corridors were silent....there were sounds, but they were muffled and there were no paan stains, no beedi stubs, no crumpled paper, the place was absolutely sanitized ..... and in the classrooms....there were whole desks and chairs, not benches and broken furniture.... and the window panes, were all intact...not one broken or hanging on its hinges....
I was convinced that I was in the wrong place...how can this be a college, this was worse than the most disciplined convent school. Absolutely sure that this was not going to be my choice, I happily traipsed down the isolated corridor only to stop to watch, as someone was walking down purposefully from the other end. She was tall, and her robes were flapping behind her as she strode down the corridor, each foot making a clicking sound as it touched the clean floor. She was very sure of herself and looked like she owned the place. Behind her there was a huge dog, no maybe it was a calf...no no, it moved rather quickly and it most certainly looked like a dog.
I just stood there, mesmerised by her stride and waited as she approached...soon I was looking up at her and I saw these steel grey blue eyes, that belonged to a tall Nun in a grey habit. In her firm voice, she asked me what I was doing in her college and how she could help me. I was not going to be scared by a nun, or at least show her that I was, even if she was rather tall, so I said well, I am here to check your college out. I was taken aback when she said, Come to my room. I followed her up to the room, not knowing she was the Principal. That afternoon, I spent time with a most fascinating woman. Her conversation with me touched on the most bizarre and unexpected topics, we shared knowledge of each other’s lives and she told me of how she gave up her successful business in Ireland to become a nun and her love for India. She was Sister Agatha McLoughlin and if there was one singular reason for me to be in JMC, it was because of her.
She was an angel, but also a stern task master, which we discovered to our consternation, a few months later and of course she was difficult to please, as some Principals can be, but she was also surprisingly the most popular Principal of Delhi University, the only one with Groucho beside her. Groucho was the calf I mentioned earlier, I mean the sheep dog. She was most popular among the boys who came to our festivals and who, despite getting their ears pulled for plucking flowers from her garden to present to her, would be invited to share cake and tea with her. That was Sister Agatha, even today I am surprised when I meet grown men who tell me about their special relationship with her....well, we did keep in touch intermittently for many years, till she passed way.
If you are wondering why I am sharing all this with you today...it is to let you know that this college and the time I spent here was the most exhilarating and I had a blast...never once did I regret not going to St Stephen’s, (that was on the top of my wish list) nor to LSR (which I was sure was not for me). Suffice to say, that three years flew by and I lived each moment thoroughly...packing it with activities, academics and much drama...that, as you know by now, you never run short of, in an all girls college.
I won’t bore you with details of many funny incidents that my batch mates and I, often chuckle over. Like all batches before us and those that followed, we too were given up on, by our teachers, who dreaded what we would become, because we were more out of class, than in it. But we charmed our professors with all we had, whether it was fighting with them to have a festival with boys visiting us or a play or a rock show or even skip the mandatory tutorial occasionally. I can see many teachers still here, who taught me, and I should tell you that many of the alumni, still remember each of you fondly, as we exchanges notes often.
Incidentally, we also had the good fortune of having the first male professor in our time. I know you’re probably thinking, what’s the big deal about that, but for us and for Perdie as he was lovingly called, it was a big deal. He was the centre of many of our pranks which he graciously and laughingly endured, from mass bunking of his classes, to his shoelaces being tied, to make him fall.
Yes, we did manage to tie his laces one time.....But, make no mistake, we were also a charming bunch of girls...and so charming that this male professor, Perdie, went on to marry one of us and she now is a Professor with you. I leave it to you to find out, if you don’t know by now, who she is.
Well, girls, the one big mistake many of us make is to take our college experience for granted, as just a small step between high school and the real world. I hope you don’t make that mistake. This is the best period of your life and don’t let anything or anyone take that away from you...along with great learnings, you get to experience, to live and to make your own choices... Up to this point in your lives, most things have been decided for you. Although you may have been getting plenty of advice on what to do or choose for you future, from now on, it is up to you to choose. I say make a choice when you are fully awake, a choice that is informed by your heart and not by what others say or think or believe.
It’s sad that people don't look at college education as “schooling for life”. College has become a kind of a rat-race; the value of a degree is often based on social perception rather than concrete education. The nicer the college one is accepted by, the better it looks on your resume, and the more likely you are, to get a job — at least, thus goes the general belief.
There is a strong conviction among most young people and it’s not entirely misplaced, that the choice of college and the subjects chosen, will shape their lives. My personal belief is that everything around you, shapes and colours your life and most of it is done in your mind, your thoughts make you what you are and what you become. I am saddened to see many pursuing higher education, because they have nothing better to do, specially young women, who often end up seeking a degree, of least interest to them, in the hope of biding time before a predictable and arranged marriage.
In our pursuit of more, and more, one doesn’t remember to live with values that were once taught to us. This is critical to our development as a generation and as a people - the learning, of how to live your life, how to be true and honest to yourself, to your potential and to people around you. It begins here, at college when you are not being constantly monitored, tutored or relentlessly told what and how to do. This is where you actually begin to shape your future and this where you need to be extra conscious of your surroundings, of your readings, of the people in your life and of course your goals. Make no mistake, in college, you do gain a wealth of knowledge, learn to think in more complex ways, and begin to come into your own as a young adult. My advice to you, don’t get involved in more activities than you can handle and spread yourself too thin, be realistic and give priority to your goals.
But I do say, use your college education and the associations and friends therein, to help you master the TEXT BOOK OF LIFE. Our contribution to the world, will not be measured by the money we make or the accolades we receive, but rather by the way in which we share our unique gifts with the world. Today's achievements, (and many of you are here for the special recognition that the University of Delhi confers on you) may fade or even be forgotten. The applause may become a distant memory and your certificates and medals may gather dust on a shelf or in a drawer. But, you will always be remembered for caring enough, for helping someone, for making someone feel special and appreciated and for being the kind of person that others enjoy spending time with.
So Ladies, as you face and tackle the inevitable changes that will unfold in your lives, hold true to yourself. Remember to hold onto your value system, your work ethic and most importantly, your humanity. It is these qualities that will guide you further, on your journey. Channelize these into making your life, an act of grace.
While you move on to greater achievements, I hope you will also take time out, to thank your parents for the sacrifices they make every day to give you this unique experience of higher education. For, without their support and encouragement, you will not travel far.
Gratitude in larger measure, should also go to the faculty and management, of institutes such as JMC, which create and shape, thinking individuals, humane and caring individuals, such as you.
So in the end, I can only suggest to you here, to choose well..
choose to share and partake,
choose to be fearless and true,
choose to honour and regard
and choose to live a life full of relish and involvement.
Let me leave you with a quotation from John Updike...”You cannot help but learn more, as you take the world into your hands. Take it up reverently, for it is an old piece of clay, with millions of thumbprints on it. “
Fear not errors and omissions that you will make, but enjoy the exposure and glory in it all ! Your life is a fabulous opportunity - I have no doubt that you will make the best of it!
Thank you.
