How beautiful is a youth! how bright it gleams
With its illusions, aspirations and dreams!
Book of Beginning, Story without End,
Each maid a heroine, and each man a friend.
Cherishing high hopes, inner joy and a promising future ahead, I neared the campus. I thought about happy moments in college. After a bad experience of strict discipline at school, I wanted to have a sigh of relief among pleasures of college life. I had already come to know about the frank environment of college. The students play tricks and crack jokes with one another. The lectures encourage group discussions and research on a topic instead of cramming notes. Besides, there are greater opportunities of extra-curricular activities to search talent. Briefly, it was the charming side of college that I imagined.
Dreaming about all this when I stepped in, I came across a new world. The worthy teachers were welcoming the newcomers and guiding them to the assembly hall of the college. We were told that on the first day, there would be no class work but the welcome address of the principal. Only the first year students were invited and the senior ones were given a holiday. It was good news for us, as well as, a bad one for the seniors who had been deprived of the golden opportunity of fooling.[the_ad id=”17141″]
The hall was decorated with pictures of young Quaid-e-Azam, previous principals and some shining stars of the college. There were 900 students seated. At 9 O’clock, the principal entered the hall. Then, the worthy professors also took their respective (bene) seats.
The principal was an old but healthy, man. His face showed a strong determination His strong voice echoed “Assalam-o-Alaikum” in the hall, the welcome address had begun.
The principal started explaining the reality and the importance of college experience. His arguments were good and strong. With the help of data, the principal proved that a greater number of college students spoil their lives. He said, “Life is not a bed of roses. You are supposed to work hard”. He was very inspiring and motivating. He told us that college provides an opportunity to deal with future tasks. The principal reformed my concept of pleasure. He explained that pleasure is a small corner in the big room of hard-work. “Pleasure refreshes you for hard work and not vice versa”, he surprised me, “If you spoil yourself, you spoil the future of the country”. He told us that college means greater discipline and a sense of responsibility.
The principal’s speech had come to an end but a new phase of my life had started w a difference. We were entertained with tea and snacks. While taking tea, I was thinking about my mistaken notions about college. I was convinced that college opportunity should not be spoiled.
In the final analysis, it was the first day at college that did my brainwashing. I could have carried away easily with the charms of the college life. In just a few moments, I was transformed into a responsible man. My debt to the principal is great for this revolution
