BRPS Speech Day 2022

Thank you Mr Foo, teachers, students, parents, alumni and administrators of Blangah Rise Learning Centre. 

It is a great honour to step up here once again to address all of you, and congratulate all the well-deserved award winners.

 

The Covid years have been tough on all of us as we have had to make big adjustments to our lifestyles, adjust the way we work, the way we live, and even the way we play, to stay safe as the pandemic ravaged throughout the world. Yet, from an optimistic angle, the post-Covid world has brought us many silver linings. Our children are now much more adapt to new technologies brought about from home-based learning, and we as a nation, are more well prepared for any hardship that could come our way.

 

So in thinking of my speech today, I felt the need to use this precious time, to give each and everyone, some useful advice in preparing yourselves for the post-Covid future, wherever your life journeys take you.

1. Adaptability - the world is moving and changing at a faster pace than ever before. New technologies are thriving in every field such that there will be new and significant advances everywhere we go. Adaptability expands your capacity to handle change, no matter how serious it might be. Being adaptable helps you stay prepared to handle these new changes in your life. Charles Darwin once said, “It is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive, but those who can best manage change”
2. Develop a Growth Mindset - Rather than a Fixed Mindset, where you think in a rigid structure, learn to think optimistically, constructively and positively. Instead of thinking “I’m afraid of failure”, think of “Failure is an opportunity for me to grow”. Instead of thinking “I like to stick with what I know”, think of “I like to try new things”. Instead of thinking “I will never improve”, think of “I will keep trying and not give up”. This is the Growth mindset and such a mindset will help you face challenges in a much more positive way, so that you can achieve greater things.
3. Mental Wellness - looking after yourself not just physically but mentally as well, can help you face all challenges in life better. One of the best tips I found online, is actually available on HealthHub’s OKAY tips:

1. Observe your emotions - identify them, find out what is causing you to feel that way
2. Keep a healthy lifestyle - sufficient sleep, a balanced diet, exercise regularly
3. Adopt coping skills - manage time better, think positive, clear your mind
4. You can reach out - stay connected, be there for others, seek help if needed

Remember your first times logging into HBL or SLS? It was a struggle for you students, learning to learn in an online environment, while sitting at home. It was a bigger struggle for parents, learning to set things up so your children’s connections could work and they could attend their online class. While having to Work From Home. And if you students look around the hall today, it was a struggle for the hard working teachers too, who had to learn to manage a room full of students but an online room,  with not just schoolwork questions, but also IT Support questiosn from students and parents! Super kancheong period at that time I can assure all of you.

 

Look at all of us today, we’ve come through the pandemic so much stronger and logging online for a lesson is so easy now. Meeting your classmates for lessons is also so easy. We have succeeded in surviving this pandemic.

 

Success can come from anywhere, if you work hard enough. I am a strong believer that people create their own luck, because luck is when preparedness meets opportunity. Make your own luck!

 

With that I thank you for your valuable time and I once more congratulate all award winners!

 

Thank you very much!