Hello everyone! It’s your Head Girls Emma, Emer, Caitlin and Cara here to share a few words of wisdom for the year ahead.
As the Head Girls, it’s our privilege to welcome you all back to our wonderful school for another year of learning, and to offer you a few words of encouragement and guidance. We cannot wait to see you all soar in the coming school year, surrounded by all of the support, energy and friendship our vibrant school has to offer.
We encourage you to make the most of every opportunity the year holds. As the head of the student leadership team, we will always be here to lend you a helping hand or a piece of advice, as are your teachers, your year heads, your deputy principals and of course your fellow classmates. Don’t be afraid to take the time you need to rest, to step back, and to reach out when things are inevitably getting tough, because that’s what we’re here for! Believe in yourself, and believe in the faith that your teachers (and we) have in you.
To our first year students, we hope that you have adjusted to the initial strangeness of secondary school life. You are at the very beginning of what we know to be a truly exciting journey. Throughout these next six years you will navigate friendship, growth and self discovery and we wish you all the very best of luck. Trust in yourselves, be kind to each other, take it all day by day and we promise everything will fall into place. Our final piece of advice as students in their last year to students entering their first; enjoy absolutely every minute of these next six years. They seem distant but trust us when we say they will fly by all too quick.
To all of our second year students, we hope you feel at ease returning to school filled with the confidence of no longer being the newest students. The school may feel smaller this year but the opportunities it holds for you will only become greater. This year is a time to grow from inexperienced new students to confident and individual members of our school community. We wish you the best of luck as you tackle your projects and passions. We encourage you to be organised, to be creative and to be yourself this year more than anything else. Be kind to one another, to your teachers and to this community that we are sure you will feel a valuable part of in the year to come.
To the returning third years, we hope each of you feel calm as you enter your exam year, trusting your teachers and supporting each other through the nerves and stress. Remember that while this year is important, your grades and scores are not everything. Make sure to continue to nurture your friendships as well as your own mental and physical health because this is what will carry you through the challenging year ahead. Be confident in yourselves and trust in your abilities on exam day. We know you will all do yourselves proud.
We welcome the transition year students in their new navy jumpers to the senior side of school. You are at the beginning of a truly unforgettable year, teeming with laughter, prospects and memories. We encourage you to push yourself out of your comfort zone and make the most of every moment. This is a year of self-discovery and growth and we urge you to take full advantage of it. Remember, what you put into TY is what you get out of TY. The memories you make this year will last you a lifetime and we’re sure you’ll all love it.
Welcome back to the fifth years who are entering the true throws of the Leaving Certificate course. But this year has so much to offer, it will help to strengthen your friendships and open new doors for you. You’ll see your goals come into focus and your opportunities unfold before you. Embrace your new leadership roles in the school and take it all one day at a time. You all have so much ahead of you, but don’t forget to look after one another and be kind to yourselves. The Leaving Cert is a marathon, not a sprint and we wish you all the best of luck.
And finally, to our fellow sixth years, we are now at the beginning of the end of our time here in Loreto Balbriggan. We have finally earned the privileges of the atrium, our sixth year badge and going out for lunch. We hope to cherish these things, and each other, as we begin an exciting, yet challenging year. The following nine months will create a world of opportunities for us all and we will make it through together, despite how daunting it may seem. A bittersweet year, it will be filled with many lasts, but it also holds a plethora of firsts. And when the time comes for us to leave, may we take the friendships and memories that we have made here into our next new beginning. Take advantage of everything that comes your way, as it’ll be over before you know it.
We wish you all the best of luck in the school year to come and believe that every single one of you will develop and achieve so much. If you ever feel that everything is becoming a bit overwhelming remember to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. Try to see that though it may feel like it, school work is not, and should never be the most important part of your life and there are so many more aspects to school life for you to enjoy and make the most of. You are capable of great things, so never be afraid to ask for help. We will always be around if you need it.
Remember to slow down and appreciate what’s right in front of you, be there for the people around you and utilise every support to your advantage.
Best of luck, we hope you have an amazing year and remember to cherish every moment because it really does go by so fast.
Go raibh míle maith agaibh agus tá súil againn go mbeidh bliain den chéad scoth againn an bhliain seo.
Slán go fóil
Emma, Emer, Cara and Caitlin