Self-introduction (Know Thyself)

‘Know thyself’

                It was Socrates who said ‘Know thyself’. Everyone should know his or her own strengths and weaknesses. Only then will they be able to face the battle of life with confidence. People in general know very little about themselves. Now you have an opportunity to think and find out about yourself and speak to your friends about your character and personality.

Activity 1

Give specific answers to the following questions about your character, personality, attitudes, likes and dislikes. Your friends will react to your views either by defending them or opposing them. The interaction will thus lead to an open discussion.

1.       What are you by nature? Express your views on each of these items:

1. Shy and reserved / sociable / aggressive
2. Confident/hesitant
3. Humble/proud
4. Calm and collected / sentimental and impulsive

2.       How do you behave with other people?

Like to initiate talk with strangers / expect other people to talk to you first / prefer to be always surrounded by other people / like to have a lot of friends

3.       Speak briefly about your sleeping habits.

Sleep more than eight hours at night / like to sleep / have a nap during the day / find it difficult to sleep at night

4.       What is your attitude to work?

Like to be active during the day / love holidays / find it difficult to sit quietly / hate work / don’t like to be lazy

5.       How much attention do you pay to your appearance?

Like to wear the latest outfits / prefer to dress in a simple manner / attend to your face before going out / attach importance to make-up / have your hair cut once a month

6.       How practical are you?

Don’t mind doing simple repairs at home / cannot mend anything / prefer to do simple jobs yourself / can fix just about anything

7.       Which is the quality your friends like most in you?

Your honesty / your cheerfulness / your generosity / your willingness to help

8.       How would you describe yourself?

Religious / active / practical / academic / jovial

9.       Which of the following would you choose?

To have at least two friends / a number of acquaintances / just one friend / five or six friends

10.   What would make you most uneasy?

Somebody praising you in front of others / being in a large crowd / people laughing at you / seeing somebody cry

11.   Which would you like most to improve?

Your looks / your attitude to work / your social life / your interest in current affairs / your relationship with your family

Students and their Duties

STUDENTS AND THEIR DUTIES

“Student Life is the Happiest Life”. It is a sheltered life. It is a privilege. Every privilege comes with certain responsibilities. The students can happily discharge these responsibilities, if they take up the following four duties carefully.

1.      Duty you owe to yourselves

2.      Duty which you owe to your fellow-students

3.      Duty which you owe to those in authority over you (or Duty to parents and Teachers)

4.      Duty which you owe to those who are around you, not students, but people of the wider world around you.

I. Duty you owe to yourselves:

To acquire knowledge not merely to help you in the examinations, but to help you in later life.  Knowledge is an exacting mistress; she needs devotion; whole-hearted devotion on the part of the person who seeks her. Such whole-hearted devotion is possible only in the days of studenthood.  

But knowledge will not merely help all alone for the success. Along with knowledge one must acquire character. The success depends more on character than on knowledge. Therefore, you should acquire a character which must show earnestness, which helps to  raise the life of people around.

II. Duty which you owe to your fellow-students

Your duty to your fellow students is to teach and support. This duty will secure the habit of cooperation which is required in later life. It helps to use the opportunities properly and sometimes to stand for others feelings and regard their views; sometimes standing out for your own views. In later life one cannot acquire the habit of cooperation because of closed mindset.

III. Duty which you owe to those in authority over you (Duty to parents and Teachers)

It is the tradition of the East to obey the parents and treat the teachers with reverence. If this is ignored, it is a national calamity. This duty is a pre-requisite to acquire knowledge which in turn helps to make use of fullest advantage of opportunities available.  

In the process of fulfilling the requirements of wards, parents shall sacrifice their needs, comforts and if required ‘life’ itself. Therefore obeying parents has become part of the tradition of East and a pre-requisite to acquire knowledge.

Reverence to your teachers helps to build discipline in the interest of common good. If the teacher objects to something, it is your duty to abstain from doing it.  It helps students to build and strengthen their nature, not to deviate from the right path,  and to develop judgment and discretionary abilities in later life.

IV. Duty which you owe to those who are around you, not students, but people of the wider world around you.

Suffering and struggling is a part of life; it is your duty to sympathize with the people around who are suffering with their problems and struggling to surmount. May be you cannot immediately redress their problems, but you should observe and study the problems and struggles of the people around. This knowledge helps students to face the society in later life. One should not venture to face the life without this knowledge.  Therefore, this  is your duty to lead a better life in later part of life.