The Conscientious Student
28th October 2025
#inclasstoday
Today in my class I was asking
students to guess the meaning of the word ‘Conscientious’.
In fact, the trigger for the
question was my happiness on seeing a large bevy of students turn up for
their classes today, in spite of the torrential downpour that continues to lash
the city and its suburbs for the past 48 hours in a row, now!
“My goal is to help students balance
the joy of learning with the practicality of finding a career path,” says Daniel
R. Schwarz - who has been teaching with Cornell University New York for 47
years now – in his book titled, How to Succeed in College and Beyond:
The Art of Learning.
Some lovely excerpts from
his book -
Curiosity, desire for
knowledge,
and the ability to solve complex, thought‐provoking problems are important life
skills.
Conscientious students need also to
be skeptical, innovative, and imaginative; really distinguished thinking, even
in high school, comes from questioning what one is told, reading further in
classroom topics, and, on occasion, going beyond accepted formulations as they
are presented.
Studying well is a matter of
learning how to concentrate and block out everything else.
Most people do better when not
listening to music, but some people do seem to benefit from listening to
soothing music when studying.
Using study halls and homeroom
periods to study, rather than wasting time on video games or social media, is a
good way to be time efficient.
Even now when English is
becoming the basic language of the world, it is important to study a foreign
language.
For one thing, it will help
you understand the world better because you will learn something about another
culture.
You will be preparing yourself for
more possible choices if you decide to do a junior year – or junior semester –
abroad as well as for more future career opportunities.
Be alert about who are the
best teachers, and take advice on who they are from the best students.
Great teachers are demanding in
terms of standards, but also create an environment where students experience
learning as a privilege and a pleasure. Getting to know some of your teachers
well will give you the necessary sources of recommendations for your
applications.
Participate in extra‐curricular
activities such as varsity sports, the school newspaper, drama and choral
groups, orchestra and band, debating, and student government. Developing skills
and competence in these areas builds self‐ confidence.
Moreover, selective colleges favour
for admission those who play leadership roles in such activities; colleges do
so in part because leaders, at a more advanced level, play a vital role in
college life and in part because the best advertisements for a college are
alumni who have leadership roles in their communities and on the state and
national levels.
College admissions departments
are also favorably impressed with applicants who volunteer in the community
beyond school by tutoring children or reading to those adults who for various
reasons cannot read, working with the disabled, or giving some time at the
local hospital or hospice.
Meaningful summer and
after‐school paid jobs, such as working as a counsellor for younger children or
in a hospital lab, are also seen as a plus by those deciding admission. But the
more important reason to volunteer or take jobs is that doing so
will enlarge your perspective and create experiences that will enrich your
life now and later.
In short, conscientious students develop
a robust sense of responsibility and commitment. This self-discipline
translates well beyond the classroom, preparing them for the demands of the
workplace and life,
says Schwarz.
In this regard, I wish to make
mention of the elite group of conscientious students who made their teacher
happy today, by coming to class, in spite of the torrential downpour that pounded
Chennai for 24 hours continuously.
Even this morning, while I was
entering class, I could see umbrellas of all hues and shades, adorning the MA
English classroom on all sides, thanks to the incessant spell of rains.
I also permitted late-comers to
class today, thanks to the rains. 😊
I MA English
E. Angeline Ebenezer
V. Jovita
C. Christian Jeremiah
Daphnie Ida D
Naveena Deborah D
Deepika M. R
R. Jothika
Nihita Chinnu Sibu
Sarah Saju Oommen
Aarthi KPB
Rangineetha Ramalingam
Venkata Vishnu Priya D
G. Rakshaya
J. Jessica
A. Abisha
D. Ebenezar Dhanaraj
II MA English
Amy J Davinia
Anagha Anil
Ann Mariah Sunny
Dency Jebagnanam S
Nikita S
Preethika Nandini D
S V Nivedhaa
Sharon Rubina
Shobhana P
Surisha K
Terese Maria Broosily
Dhanush Kumar P
S Harish Rajan
So proud of you our dear
students. Keep it up!
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