Firstly I would like to thank Mr. Kingsley Jayasinghe for giving me the opportunity to speak to all the students today. I am deeply humbled by the invitation to be Chief Guest on this special day of the School Calendar.

Dr. Kushwin Rajamani

I would like to share with you my experiences, thoughts and challenges endured since my graduation from Wycherley in 1997…… 14 years ago, a very scary thought!!! I did spend some time reflecting about my time at Wycherley and thereafter, and it has been an interesting journey of the different stages of life, so far. One of the most cherished and fondest periods of my life has indeed been in school, and I can relate a great deal what growing up when you are in school is all about. Before I say anything further, I just wanted to say that you should make good of most of your time in school, because this time will never come again. I am now able to look back and know how important my education was and how it helped to shape my life and the lives of my friends.

I hope I do not offend anyone by talking about certain sensitive issues and my philosophy. A lot of what I would like to talk about, relates mainly to your teenage years, since you go through some very significant changes. You go through both major Psychological and Physical changes and try to deal with your peers, parents and teachers. I would like to tell you that some of the things you see as important now, do not matter a great deal in the long run.

As a teenager, body image and appearance is important and along with this, there can be a lot of emotions and a desire to be accepted and to fit in. Time is often spent thinking about who is most popular rather than who is the one getting good grades.

I can tell you, that after school life, the popular ones are not necessarily those who are leading successful lives. Honestly, no one really cares, if you are popular or not in the real world, as all it matters is, if you got the "goods". By that I mean qualifications, skills, experience, motivation and enthusiasm.
Being a teenager can be hard, for I see it as a transition when you are trying to be more independent and trying to figure out who you are and who you want to become. At the same time, you still need your parents to provide things for you like a home, food, clothes and along with this come rules. Sometimes as you are trying to become more independent, you may want to oppose your parents and teachers and sometimes make impulsive decisions - wrong decisions that you may regret for a long time. But it is important to remember that your parents and teachers are trying to guide you and support you to face life's challenges and to help you to have good opportunities for the future. Some of the decisions you make now like focusing on doing well in life, will play a big part in your future. If you do well in school right now, there will be more opportunities out there for you. It can help give you an edge in whatever career you may choose.

What many don't realise now is that life is not a dress rehearsal….. you often only get "one go", unfortunately. You can't finish School and University and say I want to go through it again to get better grades. It doesn't work that way. Many people aim to just pass an examination. Ask yourself. If you were hiring someone for a job, do you want someone who did averagely well or one with a distinction. The answer is obvious. I've heard too many sad stories from my friends who tell me, "I wish I did better in School and University, I would not be struggling to get a good job". So not only is it important that education is important but to do well at it, is equally important. This means that you need to have a good study technique, exam technique and understand well what you learn.

One saying which has helped me a long way is "Reach for the moon, if you miss it you'll still land among the stars". So it is fantastic if you become the first or the second in the class which is a testament to your hard work and effort. Congratulations to those who have managed it tonight. On the same note, I want to acknowledge the ones who gave of their best attempts. You might feel disheartened, but do not be so. You have to tell yourself to keep going. It is better to be in the race than not at all. Being consistent throughout is important as well. You keep knocking on that door, and sooner or later someone will open the door and let you in. Some of my friends, who didn't necessarily get the top grades, have managed to do extremely well later on in life. This is because they were consistent and an opportunity opened up. It is helpful to have an attitude of not giving up. So do not be disappointed if you are not the best, as long as you know for yourself, that you genuinely gave it your best "shot", that's all that matters, and sooner or later you will be rewarded.

This brings me to the next topic - the career decision. It used to be that there were only 3 career choices….. Doctor, Lawyer or Engineer. Now this has changed. You will all have so many more choices and options available. The decision when it comes to your career, should be based on this- what do you enjoy and could see yourself doing for the rest of your life. This partly depends on what you think of career success….. For the most part, it should be about true passion for the job and it should also have an income which you are happy with. It's not easy knowing what you want to be. Talking to people who do that job can help. They can give you information about what is required such as university qualifications, job opportunities, the practical issues and sacrifices needed and then decide whether it might suit you. Think as an individual. Do not follow the herd. Don't do something because everyone else is doing the same, but think whether it is the right way for you.

What I have found most helpful in achieving my goal to become a Cardiologist is to remain focused. There are a lot of distractions in day to day life, from wanting to have fun rather than study, to more serious issues for some which can involve peer pressure, like being offered drugs and alcohol or getting involved with people who don't have your best interests at heart. Staying focused can sometimes mean that you need to say no and not give into peer pressure. Surrounding yourself with true friends and doing what you believe is right is what will help you to achieve your goals.

Once you've finally succeeded, don't forget to pay back - give back to your country and to the less fortunate. In a developing country like ours, not everyone has the same basic needs like food, clothing, shelter and of course human rights, let alone an opportunity to be educated. I can never be in a position to complain when fellow citizens in my own country don't have basic needs, but still survive. In fact I feel privileged to have the opportunities given to me. Although I don't come from an educated family I'm eternally grateful to my mother who has striven to educate me, despite tremendous financial and personal challenges. There is no way I could ever repay her and everything that I am today I owe it to her. Despite whatever hardship came, she ensured that I had an education. Money can come and go, but nobody can take away your education from you. The way I see it, is that our parents have given us a platform to make our own lives, which we should take to the next level. Push boundaries. No holding back. You can achieve whatever you want as long as you can put your mind to it.

Personally it hasn't been easy. Firstly being away from my family in a foreign land and exposed to cultural and social differences, were hard but I couldn't let it distract me from my goals. There were times when there was a lot of uncertainty, because I was a foreigner in a foreign land not knowing where I stood. I have made mistakes and learned from them. It's like learning to ride a bike. You fall down, get up, dust yourself and get back on the bike. As they say, what doesn't kill you, makes you stronger. Sheer persistence, saw things turn around for me in a way I have never dreamt of and helped me reach my goal to become a Cardiologist. Some of my more difficult experiences have helped me to realise not to take anything for granted.

Finally on behalf of all past and present pupils I wish to express my sincere appreciation to all the teachers at Wycherley who have dedicated their lives to teach and lay the foundation for the bright future of countless students. On that note I would like to thank you all for your attention and wish all the students success in their endeavours and their future. We have one life. Give it your best shot!