Welcome Back - Opening Thoughts to Students on Time, Attitude and Life

Good Morning and Welcome Back Everyone for the start of Appleby College’s 102^nd school year

I am really pumped about the year ahead, as I hope you are.

Lots has happened in the world since we last saw each other at the Closing ceremonies two and a half months ago down by the lake on a glorious sunny day. That was the time when the class of 2013 were elevated to alumni status, and each of you moved up one rung on the ladder of school progress, school leadership, and coolness.

And at that time, the class of 2014 became the standard bearers for what Appleby school culture will be this year. And I mean the entire class – not just those in formal leadership positions.  So congratulations to the Senior 2s – I know how talented you guys are, and we have high expectations for your achievements, for your role modeling, and for your leadership this year.

A great deal has happened since that time in June. In the world:

• The Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup
• The Calgary Flood
• Toronto Flood x 2
• Wild weather all around
• The A-Rod scandal
• The rise and fall of the Cronut Burger at the CNE – if 7500 calories wasn’t enough, a dollop of the bacterial toxin sealed its fate
• The coup in Egypt, and the tragic uncertainty of what is yet to come
• The Blue Jays lit of fires of hope before dousing them in a torrent of failure
• The Lac Megantic disaster
• The death of Cory Monteith (I’m sure many of you were terribly sad when you heard the news)
• Finally … the birth of Prince George
• And, of course, the ever-escalating Syrian crisis, including the dilemma of Western involvement – a terrible situation that presents a fascinating series of questions for governments and frankly for us as well

And at Appleby, there was a terrific amount of activity.

We had our busiest season of camps in a very long time – with almost 4000 kids here – more than a 50% increase from last year. I know that many of you were helping out with the camp

I also saw many of you here for courses this summer.

Those of you who were here will know that in many ways the campus is actually busier during the summer than in the rest of the year.

And on top of it all, it is Appleby construction season. Lots has been done here in terms of renovations and building, but I’ll mention just a few:

• Girls of Walker, you are finally “in the club.” The residence is now air conditioned like the other three
• There arena ice making improvements are being completed this month
• The art classroom has undergone a complete renovation and an expansion
• The LEC has been completely re-designed and renovated. I think that it is the most interesting and well-designed learning space on campus and rates up there with top university mini-lecture theatres
• And finally, this summer, we undertook phase 2 of the 3-phase complete renovation of the Memorial Classroom Building, which was built 60 years as a memorial to the Appleby men who were killed in the Second World War. The focus this summer was the mechanical systems – plumbing, electrical, heating & cooling – and the basement classrooms and offices. To be honest there are a couple of things still being worked on:
• The classroom lighting systems are delayed, so there are some temporary ones in place. They will be replaced as soon as the new ones arrive.
• There is a little bit of painting/finishing here and there to be done
• The most notable issue – for only the next day, and it is an important one – is that the bathrooms are not quite complete. The stalls are being put in. I am confident that they will be done by tomorrow. So in interim, use some of the other ones on campus, and DO NOT take the advice of “man’s best friend” (Video clip of dog trying to teach “his beloved human” how to go to bthe bathroom outside)
• One of the other improvements is the AV system in here (the gym)
• In all seriousness – the renovations in the Memorial Building look amazing . The basement classrooms and offices have shifted from being dark, rabbit-warren, dingy places, to big, bright, beautiful classrooms. Despite being in the lower level, it certainly doesn’t feel that way at all. I think they are the nicest classrooms on campus, and they include new furniture. So, no more bolted desks, and my favourite – no more rickety, hard blue chairs that tend to collapse.

Next summer the classrooms and hallways on the upper two floors of the Memorial Building will be done.

 

I know you want to join me in thanking the many people who brought about all these transformations, in continuing to make the Appleby campus one of the very nicest, if not the best, in Canada.

Now, let me shift gears.

I said welcome back to your first day. In reality, many of you have been here for a while. All the boarders moved in late last week, and our new students were here for orientation on Friday. Our new boarders arrived last Tuesday, so there has been a lot going on.

I am not going to repeat my speech to them, but let me highlight one thing I said on Friday morning:

“Whether you are a boy or a girl; whether you are from Oakville or Mississauga or Etobicoke or Burlington or PEI or Germany or Nigeria or China; whether you bit shorter or taller than average, or a bit bigger (like me) or smaller; whether you are gay or straight; whether you are Catholic or Muslim or Jewish or Hindu or agnostic or Anglican; whether you are a jock or a geek or an artsy; or not quite sure; or whether you are a bit of everything, you have a place here.

We revel in our diversity.  And so long as you are committed to being engaged in school life and activities, and show respect for others, you have a place here, and you will be supported, and you will make friends. There is an endless supply of people, students and staff, who are there for you, who are here to help you, and who will help make sure that you feel like you belong.”

One of the things I have great confidence in, based on what you guys told me in our lunches last year, is that you, the returning students, were well taken care when you started. I know that you will ensure that you show our new members of the Appleby community every kindness and a generosity of spirit that is our hallmark. On that note, I would like you to join together to welcome all of our new students – who are an exceptionally talented and nice group – as I ask them to stand.

I have two last messages for you this morning

The first relates to a video that some of you have probably already seen. It's about time.

(Video)

While that video is about your life, the number of jelly beans can also relate to your year at Appleby. With all those jelly beans, each one is roughly equal to 2 minutes of your time over the next year.

Think of last year, whether you were at Appleby or another school. Try to remember back to exactly one year ago. What were your hopes? What were your expectations? What were your worries?

Was it just to make it through with okay marks and good friendships? Did you have any goals with respect to academics? Were you to hoping to learn a new sport or make a team? Were you planning to try a new activity? Or putting yourself out in a performance? Or focused on helping others? Or trying to learn about another culture?

And at the end of the year, what did you achieve? And how well did it match-up with what you had planned?

One of the most common pieces of advice I hear from Appleby alumni is to encourage you, our students, to use your time wisely – to be deliberate. Because your time here will go faster than you can ever imagine. Please take a bit of time this week to ask yourself what you want to feel at the end of June? What do you want to get done? What do you want to achieve?  It might have to do with classes, or co-curriculars, or relationships. Use those jelly beans wisely.

Finally, I would like to tell you about a friend of mine named Chris Taylor. CT, as he is known is about 12 years older than me and I worked with him for about seven or eight years. One of the things about CT is you can’t have a two minute conversation with him. He hits you with a tidal wave of enthusiasm and energy. Everything is always positive with him.

And whatever you do, do not ask him about his kids, or you will be there for an hour as he recounts his pride in his three sons. He is far and away the most positive guy I know.

About 12 years ago, CT was at his school and went to give blood at the clinic that he has arranged on campus. Not surprisingly, CT was one of those great donors who had donated more than 50 times and was always encouraging other to do the same. In the screening, when they prick your finger to check on blood levels, they told him that his levels were a bit off and that he couldn’t give that day, and he should see a doctor very soon.

That started a terrible journey with multiple battles with cancer – a blend of leukemia and lymphoma – it took a year to even diagnose him. He has had a stem cell transplant – and at least 3 recurrences of the cancer. It hasn’t been easy on him, but CT is doing ok and he has far exceeded what the doctors advised him was going to happen. He has twice bicycled to Niagara Falls as part of the Ride for the Cure. You may have seen him and his son (his donor) on a Princess Margaret Hospital ad.

And you know what? He is still just as positive and enthusiastic and generous as he was when I first met him. And even more, anyone who know CT is absolutely convinced that his almost unbelievable success must be due in part to his attitude and his positive nature. 

This summer, I have been listening to some shows about Philosophical Practitioners – those who use philosophy to help with counseling. And I am taken with the words of a guy named Charles Swindoll (an unfortunate name, but a wise man) who says:

“We cannot change our past, we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you, we are in charge of our Attitudes.”

“The pursuit of happiness is a matter of choice – it is a positive attitude we choose to express. It is not a gift delivered to our door each morning, nor does it come through the window. And it is certain that our circumstances are not the things that make us joyful. If we wait for them to get just right, we will never laugh again.”

Any of you who have seen true poverty in the world I suspect will understand what Swindoll is saying.

To use a baseball analogy – perhaps ill-advised after the Blue Jays year, but I’ll do it anyway – this year you will get lots of hits, including some homers. You’ll get some pitches that look as big as a beach ball and you’ll hit ‘em out of the park. But you will also get some tough pitches – some knuckleballs, curveballs and even some spitballs. You will have times when you strike out.

In those times remember those words: life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. That is some of the wisest advice I have heard in a very long time.

So, in closing, welcome to our new students, enjoy the improvements in this incredible campus, use your jelly beans wisely, and remember life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it.

Let’s have a great year