Everyone is gifted with a precious life, a limited time period and each day of our life has its own significance as each day we see, hear and experience new things, thereby learning the actual meaning of life from them. But the most important part of it is the realisation of the essence of such experiences, which in every way help us to mould ourselves into better beings, enhancing the qualities within us. Such experiences are based on the different phases of life among which life as children, particularly in school, is the best part ever.

As a Marian, I need to say that each day of the ten years I spent in St Mary’s School is etched indelibly on my mind. Those beautiful days, though full of struggle, have taught me so many things that I do not hesitate to say that our school is not just a so-called treasury of values but each value we have received has an indispensable role to play in our life.

I had stepped into the boundaries of St Mary’s with loads of hopes and expectations of my parents which, in no time, turned into my own. Discipline, neatness and regularity were what we were taught since primary level. The classes of “value education” are one of the most significant characteristics of our school and they are taken either by the sisters or the respective classteachers. In such classes, all sorts of topics regarding our life are discussed and the two-way interaction between teachers and students further makes the period the most interesting one, except for the very few who sadly fail to understand its purpose.

“Being faithful to myself” was the most important lesson that St Mary’s taught me and it not only helped me to discover my hidden potential but helped others to understand me as the girl I really am. Yes, the world only believes you when you start believing yourself and the moment you discover this fact, you feel that you are a member of the same developing society that has equal right of participation. Now, doesn’t this show that you are slowly being prepared for you life, for your society and for the world?

In this way my school has prepared me for life. Every competition has taught me to get satisfaction after each achievement, not just the position or the award but the great achievement of having the competition carried out in a healthy manner. It has further taught me that no one ever loses in any competition because participation is the one and the only thing that matters. We are always triumphant, a winner.

Besides the excellent academic qualification we gained the power to understand others’ sorrows and feel other’s pain which then helped us to develop the quality of sharing. Social service was not taught, we learnt them naturally seeing our sisters’ dedication and devotion without any selfish reason.

We are shown the path, taught to tread it and now we lead others.

We are asked to work in a team, develop the ability to understand and cooperate with others. When we are given any work, we are expected to complete the task with full concentration and devotion in order to inculcate the sense of responsibility and, mainly, not to give up just after a few attempts but go on facing the toughest obstacle by challenging every opposing element.

We learn to change malpractices, maintain a healthy and peaceful environment, preserve our tradition, promote our culture, seek for development and, most importantly, work with confidence and profound diligence to make a difference.

Yes, the innumerable values that our school possesses, is the divine power or the energy, which has been sustaining it since a long time, since fifty years. So, this day and everyday that arrives after this day, let us ponder upon these thoughts and pray to God to help the energy to last forever and ever.

— Puspanjali Bhatta, Grade: XI, St Mary’s College