Life
of a Good Student
Student
life is the most decisive and important period of a young man. It is during
this period that the outline of his future career is shaped. A college
contributes a lot to cultivating and molding the character and personality of
a student. It is a factory for producing creative realistic and imaginative
students. All the students studying in a college are neither ideal nor
extraordinary. However, there are only a few who embody the qualities
of an ideal student.
An
Ideal student has a balanced personality and impartial outlook. He is neither
sentimental nor too pragmatic. He has full control over passions of jealousy greed
and injustice. ‘He is never mean or little in his disputes.’ In fact, he shares
most of the qualities of a gentleman, as conceived by Henry Newman. “He is
patient, forbearing and resigned. Nowhere shall we find greater candor consideration
and indulgence. He has full recognition of his being and identity. Having an
integrated and balanced personality, he is the ‘master of his fate and the
captain of his soul.’
An
Ideal student is hard-working and painstaking. His achievements in the
classroom, examination hall, and the games are never ordinary. But then he need
not be always on the top. Toppers often become conceited arrogant and proud.
They often happen to be bookworms. However, an ideal student keeps a balance between bodily and mental needs. He does not waste his time in idle pursuits.
He
keeps before his mind the motto which the great poet Tennyson has elaborated in
his poem ‘Lotos Eaters’
We
are not here to play, to dream, to drift,
We
have work to do and loads to lift.
Shun
not the struggle ‘is God’s gift!
An
ideal student considers life a real and earnest thing! He is fully aware of
the dignity of work and molding the character of games and sports. He is punctual
and regular in his work and habits. ‘To strive, to seek, to find and not to
yield’ is his motto of life.
An
ideal student is good-mannered, obedient, and exemplary. He believes in ‘simple
living and high thinking.’ He is upright and conscientious) and never yields to
the baser temptations of jealousy, suspicion, bitterness, and arrogance. He does
not attribute his failure to his stars and his victories to his qualities of
head and heart. He is consistent in his principles and persistent in his
efforts, humble in the moment of victory, and gay in the face of defeat.
An
ideal student is a great patriot. He loves his country, nation, and his people
with full-blooded passion and profound feelings. The welfare of his country and
people is always uppermost in his mind. He believes “Love of country is the
loftiest virtue is and so treason against it has been considered among the most
damnable lot sins.
An
Idle student avoids bad company and befriends other intelligent, good-mannered, and
diligent students, for a person is known by the company they keep. He knows
that one single rotten apple is enough to spoil a whole lot of apples. He is
obedient to his parents and respectful to his teacher. He gets inspiration from Emerson's vision of achieving greatness.
Not
gold but only men can make.
A
people great and strong.
Men
who for truth and honour's sake,
Stand
fast and suffer long.