My dear students and parents,
For more than a year, the educational system had been interrupted. Though
online classes were held, you might have been under stress due to lockdown,
without any laptop nor WiFi etc. And now you are going to get ready for your
college studies. Loyola Students Support Service (LSSS) thought of organizing
the summer camp to refresh your high school studies and to prepare you
effectively for the college studies. And as the head of Loyola Institutions, I
welcome you all and at the outset I thank the teachers and trainers who would
accompany you all through these two weeks of summer camp.
Jesuits all over the world and especially in Tamilnadu, who run 6 colleges in the
northern part of Tamilnadu and 4 colleges in the southern part of Tamilnadu,
believe that education is the key to empowerment especially for the people at
the margin. Today LSSS has selected the poor students especially the Dalit
students and children of folk artists. We welcome you to make use of this
opportunity.
During the summer camp you have to decide your goal to achieve. A survey
was conducted for 262 students in two groups. One group was asked to
visualize the grade or marks in the exam (like first class, distinction etc), while
the second group was asked to visualize the process, namely study method. It
was found out that the second group did much better in exams because they
know how to study. I recommend that you pick up the study methods during
this camp so that you could shine well in the college.*
Goal-setting is very important. You should think about what you want to
achieve in life. When you have a clear goal, then you work hard for it and your
productivity is great. A study was conducted for 267 professionals comprising
lawyers, business people, doctors etc. Those with clear goals in life achieved
39.5% more than others who did not have any goal but who also worked hard.*
You should have clear purpose in life. If you know why you want to live, then
you will find out how to life. Viktor Frankl suffered in four concentration
camps but he wanted to live just to see his wife and to complete his book – This
purpose gave him meaning amidst sufferings, struggles, and obstacles.** You
also develop a purpose for your life, then you will find the meaning, namely
why you need to live.
This is made possible if you have motivation. You would have seen airplane
which has propellers – The propeller pushes the air backward and the airplane
goes forward and skyward. The two propellers for you should be confidence
and hard work. Develop your motivation. While you develop your motivation,
you also be on the lookout for opportunities. Each opportunity is a now or never
experience*** – Whenever you get a chance to perform in public, grab the
occasion and do your best. You would become great. Life is not one big success
race but it is a chain of short successful races one after another. Succeed in little
This is made possible if you have motivation. You would have seen airplane
which has propellers – The propeller pushes the air backward and the airplane
goes forward and skyward. The two propellers for you should be confidence
and hard work. Develop your motivation. While you develop your motivation,
you also be on the lookout for opportunities. Each opportunity is a now or never
experience*** – Whenever you get a chance to perform in public, grab the
occasion and do your best. You would become great. Life is not one big success
race but it is a chain of short successful races one after another. Succeed in little
things and great success would come to you. This is called perseverance and it
could be known as resilience as well – Both are the two sides of success.
Francis P Xavier SJ
26Jun2021
- G. Keller and J. Papasan, The ONE Thing, Bard Press, Austin, 2012.
- Viktor E. Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning, Rider, London, 2004.
- H. Garcia and F. Miralles, Ichigo Ichie, Quercus, London, 2019.