The climate crisis, conflict across the globe, governments that have forgotten the meaning of the word leadership and can no longer differentiate between their truths and their lies, the world is calling for a compassionate generation that acts with integrity and we form part of that. We will be the ones to find the solutions.
Every single Bradfieldian has the potential to change lives; never underestimate the impact that you can have on this world. Find your cause, your passion and fight. This is something that Bradfield helped me realise. Throughout my five years here I have been surrounded by teachers who have stimulated me to think harder, do more and be better; whether this be intellectual discussions or building my confidence to speak out, I have learnt that my voice has an impact.
We are lucky enough to have access to some of the best education the world has to offer, so we should use that to educate others. My biggest piece of advice to pupils would be to get everything out of Bradfield you can, go to societies, play all the sports and spend time with your friends because by doing this you give yourselves the perfect foundation for leading a fulfilling and rewarding life, in which you can make a difference.
Every single Bradfieldian has the potential to change lives.
I feel so proud to have come from a year that has mobilised its potential, that pushed each other to be better and supported each other. Looking back at the past 12 months one thing stands out; we cared and we continue to care. We acted as role models from the sports pitches to the classrooms. We spoke up about mental health, gender equality and making the school more environmentally friendly. We made efforts to put changes in place that will stand the test of time.
There will be setbacks that make you think you’ve overestimated your abilities. I have been in that situation. Having unexpectedly not got into the two universities I had worked hard to get into over the last two years, I began seriously questioning my ability. I was constantly told by people that setbacks are what make you. Naively, I didn’t take this advice and got angry with myself for not working that little bit harder. Now I realise my mistake. People are not defined by their failures, they are defined by their response to failures. My rejection made me want to work harder to show those universities that they made a mistake not accepting me. If we want to reach our full potential, there will be setbacks, but these form part of our journey and it is vital to learn how to respond in a positive way.
