HEAD GIRL SPEECH 2016-17
So let me tell you a story. There lived a couple with their child. They applied to a school for the child’s admission. It was the mothers dream to send her child to that school. The mother would ring up her husband each day to ask if he had heard back from the school and her husband would reply in a disappointed tone, “No”. One evening the dejected mother decided that she would not ring her husband up. That night, her husband came home as usual. He didn’t’ say anything. The wife assumed that another day had gone by and no response again. While emptying his office briefcase a little later, she found a letter and it read,
Dated - 20thFebruary,2004
Dear Mr. and Mrs.Mohta,
We are happy to inform you that your child Nikita has been selected for admission to K.G.- April 2004 Session.
13 years later, on the 9th of February 2017, the same Nikita, now the Head Girl of Loreto House is here addressing you for perhaps the last time.
It is said that our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
When I was first assigned my post I wasn’t sure if I could live up to the expectations and be as good as Drishti was. I wasn’t sure if I could do everything a Head Girl is expected to do. I wasn’t sure if I, a Non-Science, Non-topper girl was suitable for the post of a Head Girl. But like I’ve always said, if you can dream it, you can make it happen.
13 years is a long time, Loreto House. 13 years has changed the address known as 7,Middleton Row into my home and strangers into family.
Back then I walked into this school crying and today, I’m going to walk out of my home, crying.
Now,I’m going to do the impossible. Talk about these 13 years in less than 13 minutes.
In the midst of doll houses, Maya Didi’sred medicine, Mr. Roy’s Chow, those terrifying notes in school diaries, Mrs. Baghchi’s Indian dancing classes and Mrs. Menesus’s singing classes, we didn’t realize when we all grew up.
Junior school made my childhood so beautiful. Here is my heartfelt gratitude to each and every teacher in juniorschool. All my class teachers Miss Kaur ,Miss rego , Mrs. Samuel,Mrs. Kohli , Mrs. Lokhandwala) Mrs. Das my history teacher , Miss Bajpai , thank you to each of you.
I still remember the day when Mrs. Sen came to class 5,held my hand and took me to the 3rd floor of the building, to the class 6 classrooms.
With all the physics numericals, chemistry formulas, biology diagrams and lets not even talk about math, I strongly believe if you can make it through the middle school years of an Indianhigher secondary school , you can conquer the world.
A big shout out to all my teachers again. Some seated here, some who have retired.
From having a “toilet partner” to accompany you while you answer nature’s call to signing in a book for the same, I’ve seen drastic changes take place in school through the years.
Just like most of you, my journey hasn’t been easy. I pinky promise even I’ve forgotten my needle work kit and pretended like my appendix would burst and ran to the sick room to save myself from the screaming,
Spent History and Chemistry classes admiring Miss Burman, Miss Paul and Mrs.Basu’sclothes,Geography for me was about wondering how Mrs. Mogrelia gets the exact pair of earrings that match her outfit, Biology was the toughestthough. More than animal cells and plant cells, what kept me preoccupied was a question. How Dr. Ghosh and Mrs. J Ghosh have such gorgeous long hair. Does that have something to do with the subject?
Then came the best years of my life.Classes 9 and 10.
Shuffling did seem like the end of the world but little did I know that it was a blessing in disguise. It gave me my bestfriends. School trips to Murshidabad and Puri were like the icing on the cake.
The only reason I stand here today, privileged with the opportunity to deliver this speech is because of one person.
She’s sitting behind me. Mrs. Dhir has not only been my English teacher since my middle school days but a friend,mentor,guide and mother.She has praised me when I was right, criticized me when I was not and been there throughout. I am who I am only because of you.
Mrs.Rakshit , nobody to irritate you on your table , nobody to joke with you and force you to dance,
Thank you for hearing me out,always. I will miss you.
Class 11 and 12 have been a rollercoaster ride.
Different streams, new friends,fests , ELECTIONS.
Charles dickens said and I quote it was the best of times; it was the worst of times.
Class 12 gave me my most precious gift. It was a year of fun, nostalgia, hard work and stress. Lumiere was my dream come true.
My journey would have been incomplete without the constant support of sr. Phyllis, Sr. Nirmala and Mrs. Basu.
Sister, you’ve taught me a million things about life. You’ve entertained our demands, listened to our complaints, and been a friend more than anything. No combination of words can express my gratefulness. Every Head Girl should get you as a principal to work with.
It has been a year that I’ve been working with Mrs. Basu. I don’t remember a single time she’s refused to help me. Every problem I go to her with, She simply looks up, hears me out and smiles. That smile always felt like everything was okay. I’ve been crushing on it since 2010.
I remember her telling me that Nikita you think I’ve reached here without making mistakes? I still make mistakes and that is the only way we learn. Thank you for being ever so supportive and approachablemiss.
It is said that not all superheroes have capes some have teaching degrees.
MrsMogrelia,thank you for illuminating my ivory tower and having so much faith in me. I would not have been able to make it here without you.
MrsBhattacharjee, thank you for all the jokes you cracked when I looked stressed and all the tips you gave. I will never forget our joke on “thank you cards”
Mrs Lazarus I will miss complaining and cribbing to you about everything and I will miss seeing that beautiful smile of yours.
Miss Banerjee, you’ve always been there for Cherie and Me through the year. Be it walking up to the chief guest to get her exact name or motivating and encouraging us. My heartfelt gratitude to you.
Miss paul,I hate to admit it but I’m really going to miss your blitzkrieg.
Dr Paul thank you for making me feel so good about myself. ICSE topo wouldn’t have been possible without you
Miss Kaur it would be easier to count the number of classes I’ve attended with you than to count those that I’ve missed. You’ve been ever supportive and helpful. Love you!
Mrs. Burman, thank you for always helping us on stage. We wouldn’t be able to manage a single day without you.
Mrs. Kapoor, can you please take us to Delhi again?
To each and every teacher seated here. My heart felt gratitude to you for everything you have done for me.My Sincere apologies if I have ever hurt you.
Thank you to everyone at the school office and members of the E-care team. I promise to never trouble you again and borrow pens, pencils and rough paper.
I want to thank Mr. Pang and all our Dada’s and Didi’s for bringing us up so well.
I want to thank all my seniors and friends who are now in different parts of the world for believing in me.
Things might not always go the way we planned but this class is resilient. Batch of 2017, you've made it through the earth quakes,Brexit, Trumps presidency, Demonetization, the banning of Pokémon Go and RakhiSawant taking to politics. Congratulations. You're now ready to face the world. I can proudly say that, we've come far individually and as a class.
12 humanities. You’ve been amazing classmates. Thank you for carrying my heavy bags to class or covering up when I was eating that last bite of my sandwich between classes.
I really hope Toby will forgive us.
To everyone who looks confused, Toby was a baby lizard brutally murdered within the 4 walls of my classroom.
When someone asks you what you want to be, say, ‘something big’.
Strive to be the best version of yourself, Class.
Be phenomenal. Ahead of us is life, let's live it.
My Student Council, you’ve been my support system. You’ve worked hard, made sacrifices and above all, loved your duty immensely. It would be a lie if I said you didn’t act difficult at times but it would also be a lie to say that you didn’t work when duty called. It was an honour to lead you.
Cherie. Girl, you've been my support and my one stop solution, Thank you for everything.
Please grow up though, I won't be there in college when you forget prayers while on the mike or when your voice randomly disappears.
From picking up brooms and cleaning the hall to facing 50 pairs of glaring eyes
(Teachers remember the Lumiere meeting?) , We’vedone it all. Love you.
To my dear class 11s,Tables turn, bridges burn,you live and learn. Hold your head high. Your dignity is your most prized possession. It's not pleasant to fail, it's tough but use it to succeed
The future is the present to come and the past is the present gone by. So work really hard,work in the present without worrying about rewards, work in silence and I’m sure your success will make all the noise.
Walk on with hope in your heart and you'll never walk alone. Keep the Loreto banner flying high.
To my loving juniors and class 6s, thank you for your cards, love and affection. Be good and make us all proud.
To some this is the end,
To some, a new beginning,
But what truly counts is the journey.
Speaking of my journey as Head Girl, 13years ago, when I walked into this school, who would have known such a privilege would be bestowed upon me and I would have the honour to serve as the Head Girl.
A journey can only be measured in memories. And Loreto House you’ve given me uncountable such memoires.
This post has in true sense taught me a lot. I have learnt how to control my urge to laugh, sneeze and burp at the wrong place and at the wrong time
Jokes apart, has anyone ever-wondered why is the ice cream man always in a bad mood since the past 13 years?
A girl who loves each and every inch of this stage, is today, feeling so hesitant standing here.
It is uncanny how everything about this school seems to pass by in our last days. The walls of the classroom call out to you, gathered within them every memory, every moment. When you stand on the balcony the wind whispers to you to stay a while. The dim bathroom lighting, the celotaped mikes, the broken duster everything calls out to you,to stay a little while longer.
Loreto is not just a place; it is a feeling of love and security. Loreto is my church, my sanctuary, and my safe place. Loreto is where my feet may soon leave but my heart will always be.
I believe it is most difficult to express love for the people you love the most.
My parents and friends. These people are the people I’ve laughed,cried, smiled with. But most importantly, I’ve grown with.Sorry,I’ve shared my tiffin with.
How lucky am I to have something that makes it so difficult to say goodbye.
You’ve given me more than I ever deserve. Rabia, Karishma,Vanshika, Jyoti, Megha, Samina and my minions,Aadya and Naina.
No more tiffin’s to look forward to, no more breaks to gossip, no more 1:40 main gate addas, no more ‘London thumakdas’ and ‘aye shinnashinna’. Schools over.
But thank you for putting up with me and my …(you know what I mean)
I love you with all my heart. Thank you for everything.
Lastly, my sincerest apologies and heartfelt thanks to all I’ve missed, know that you played an important role in my life and helped make me the person I am today.
Batch of 2017 and Loreto House, (keeping to the hash tag and pop culture) its been a,
#Splendid year with you as your Head Girl.
I want to thank you for everything you’ve done for me from the bottom of my heart but for you, there is no bottom to my heart.
We’ve come a long way from where we began, Oh! I’ll tell you all about it when I see you again. When I see you again.
Loreto House, one last time, let us wish Sister and our Teachers.
This is me, Nikita Mohta, Signing off as Head Girl 2016-17.