Advice: wear sunscreen

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Do you remember (it was first published in 1997) that graduation speech advice column that started like this?

Inside every adult lurks a graduation speaker dying to get out, some world-weary pundit eager to pontificate on life to young people who'd rather be Rollerblading. Most of us, alas, will never be invited to sow our words of wisdom among an audience of caps and gowns, but there's no reason we can't entertain ourselves by composing a Guide to Life for Graduates.

I encourage anyone over 26 to try this and thank you for indulging my attempt.Ladies and gentlemen of the class of '97:

Wear sunscreen.

If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience. I will dispense this advice now.

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth. Oh, never mind. You will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they've faded. But trust me, in 20 years, you'll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked. You are not as fat as you imagine.

Don't worry about the future. Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind, the kind that blindside you at 4 p.m. on some idle Tuesday.

Do one thing every day that scares you.

Sing.

Don't be reckless with other people's hearts. Don't put up with people who are reckless with yours.

(it goes on further, so follow the link below to read it in its entirety).

It was written by Mary Schmich, and you can find it on the Chicago Tribune site here:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-schmich-sunscreen-column,0,5909206,full.column

Our year group are a long way from graduation (from high school; they're still at primary school!).  But hey, next time I want to find this column, I know just where it is.  And maybe your year group is graduating sooner, and you're on the hunt for ideas?

When my last year group finished, I had a heartfelt speech I had written myself, and one to read from B1, the year adviser who had worked with me for five of the six years.  His was better, I think; braver than mine.  Both were thoroughly applauded, which was nice, and we got (me present, him absent) a standing ovation.  Appreciated that.

Cheers

Ruth

What will make you happy?

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So if you put this list in front of your year group, how many kids would agree that some or all of these would make them happy?

1. Becoming rich, powerful and famous.
2. Treating the universe as if it were a mail-order catalog by expecting it to gratify our every desire.
3. Yearning for the “freedom” to achieve every last wish.
4. Seeking too much pleasure.
5. Maliciously taking revenge on someone who has hurt you.
6. Assuming that any one thing will make you happy.
7. Expecting all praise and no criticism.
8. To vanquish all your enemies.
9. To never face adversity.
10. Expending all your effort on taking care of yourself alone.

This list is from an article by Matthieu Ricard, and if you read his long version of the list above here, you can discover (and explain to any bewildered kids) why none of the above are good roads to happiness.  Or else ask them to consider/reconsider and give your their opinion.  One way or the other.

And do I think all kids are perfect and will read this list and be angels of smartness?  No.  They are, after young, and therefore know everything.  It's a long-drip process called growing up.

Cheers

Ruth

Motivation: what you become

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With the prospect of a class blog, and, from next year, weekly year meetings and so forth, I plan to collect some motivational quotes to use.  I never expect all of them to hit the target with all the kids, but that's the nature of the game as a year adviser.  Try something, try something else, try whatever you can and each time you'll catch some of them. 

Twitter is a great source for these.

The major value in life is not what you get.  The major value in life is what you become.

JIM ROHN

Throughout my teaching career, the 'get' and the 'stuff' seem to have gathered more and more importance to kids, and they can prioritise it far ahead of what they could and could wish to become.  Part-time jobs in the later years of high school which take more time and energy than they have left for school - sometimes it's about necessity, but sometimes it's about the consumer stuff, the want-it-now ahead of longer-term thinking and planning.  It's one of the issues facing year advisers as well as their year groups.

Cheers

Ruth