Year 10 Pastoral Guardian

As we head to the busy part of the term with drafts and assignments due or exams just around the corner, it is very important for students to maintain a positive mind set.  Part of doing this requires the girls to keep a healthy balance and consider what is effective use of time.  They must be able to remain focused and set realistic goals if they are to achieve their potential.  As part of a positive mind set, it is also valuable for us all to have a positive work-life balance.  To do this, it is recommended that students ‘have a go’ and try something new, to help us deal with challenging times and maintain a positive outlook on life.  Why not sign up to participate in an extra-curricular activity or join a lunch time activity run at Mt A and challenge yourself to jump out of your comfort zone. 

It is hard to believe that this is the last Parent Corner before the end of Term 3.  Good luck for the last few weeks of the term with assessments, outreach projects, and extra-curricular activities.  Don’t forget to ‘have a go’ at any opportunities that come your way.

Below are some thoughts from Clare School leaders, who have summed up perfectly why it is important for students to ‘have a go’.

Teena Christofis

Conversation Starters

How do you ensure that you are maintaining a healthy work-life balance?

What is an activity or group you can volunteer to be part of or join over the holidays or next term?

Student Perspectives

As a Clare School leader for 2019, this role required me to step outside my comfort zone and to have a go.  Once I was fortunate enough to be selected, the amount of opportunities the role gave me was endless.  Having four different portfolios this year allowed me to open my eyes to the amount of opportunities the College offers, that can appeal to every student's interest.  However, it is not essential to have a badge or a title for the College to gift you opportunities to take advantage of; it starts from the students wanting to grasp these opportunities entirely.  Whether it be sporting, drama/arts, or outreach opportunities, I highly encourage every student to try something new and to have a go!  You never know where it may take you. 

Rhianna Janas

'Having a go' is a phrase that people should take more action on.  Having a go means you are willing to put yourself out there, even if you fail.  This is such an important skill to have, as having a go allows you to grow in several aspects of life.  There are two main outcomes that result from having a go, which are succeeding or failing.  Although succeeding is what everyone strives to achieve, sometimes we are better off failing so we can improve ourselves and reach a whole new level we thought we weren't capable of.  I highly encourage everyone to have a go at something new or out of your comfort zone because you never know what amazing things you will learn or achieve.  This is why 'having a go' is such an integral part of life.  

Molly Browne

One thing I will always admire about the Year 10 cohort is the willingness to have a go at all of the extra-curricular activities and opportunities positioned around the College.  Last term we were all pushed into the wilderness for Year 10 camp; our camp groups were a shock from our current friend groups, yet in every activity every girl was supporting each other.  A challenge for me was the Giants Ladder, yet with the help of my peers I quickly found the courage to conquer it with one of my best friends beside me.  To me, this showed the importance of having a go as well as supporting my friends.  Later on, when someone struggled doing an activity I was quick to cheer on everyone as well and found supporting others to be one of my favourite parts of the camp.  I personally encourage anyone who isn’t involved in school life to involve themselves and have a go – what’s the worst that can happen?

Molly O'Brien

In every aspect of school and life, ‘having a go’ is fundamental.  When you ‘have a go’ you are exposed to new things that are either good or bad.  The most important part is that you learn something new. Sometimes having a go can be scary but, once you ‘have a go’, the sense of accomplishment is worth everything.  But everyone holds back because of one fear - the fear of failure.  Everyone views failure as bad but, to truly succeed in ‘having a go’, we must fail.  Failure is what you learn and grow from, and it is an important part of ‘having a go’.  As Confucius said, “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall".  Therefore, I encourage everyone to ‘have a go’ at something they’re not used to, even if it’s small, and, if they fail, try again until they succeed.

Sneha Reju

Ever since Year 7, I was that student who always put herself out there in every possible way.  I am glad that I’ve done this as I have associated with people that I never thought I would connect to.  While I did have to restrict myself in the older years, I have still maintained many of these friendships as I value them.  Mt A is a diverse college which has provided me and other students with many opportunities to be adventurous and find something new about ourselves.  I am glad that I listened when people told me in the earlier years to "try anything because time flies", as it has helped me to understand who I am. While this message may seem overused, it’s true.  Having a go at something new, or even continuing something you love, is something important that everyone should do, even if it seems daunting at first. Though you may think that nothing interests you, there is something at this college for everyone, whether it be about the sport, community, or other aspects of the College, you just don’t know it yet.

Samantha Maguire