When Robert Brault quoted “Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realise they were the big things”, I am sure that he felt the same emotions as me when I introspect myself and my development to write about my alma mater – Sunbeam. A competent individual in society understands and upholds all life values. Home has always been the place where we learn these life values and virtues. But in today’s world where most of the dads and moms work full time, these important life lessons are failed to be inculcated at home and schools have taken the sole responsibility to impart these lessons. Now schools shape up their students and transform them into responsible and disciplined individuals. Sunbeam was such a school to me. My alma mater turned me into a conscientious citizen and an aspiring individual. Sunbeam helped me step out of the protective bubble so that I can grow more without any limits. Sunbeam gave me some hard knocks that encouraged me to look at things deeper and be persistent. It also gave me many appreciative pats on the back which made me confident and grateful for little things. Now Sunbeam holds a major share of who I am today – a proud Economics Master’s student at Azim Premji University who at the age of 20, was able to publish and present her research papers in international journals and conferences, attended the University of Chicago for Summer Scholar Program and currently working on a project for World Bank. Sunbeam was not just a place where you develop individualism but aspects that allow smooth functioning of social life. Sunbeam also strived hard to ensure the students enjoy studying and equality is maintained. In Sunbeam, I have seen fairness and opportunities being given to everyone which brought about new revelations about my classmates I never knew. I am very grateful for many opportunities that made me realise my hidden talents like writing poetry, cooking and even impromptu speaking. I was able to explore my leadership skills here at Sunbeam by taking up responsibility as the English Club President and the Garnet House Captain. I am sure that the public speaking talent I possess today was developed through the numerous stages I stood on during my days at Sunbeam. Many things that I witnessed at Sunbeam are unique. The easy access to the top-level management is something that I am still appreciative of. Not only the principal of the school but the founder and the correspondent of the school as well. Making this access easy meant very few intermediaries therefore students’ thoughts and feedback were directly received by the top management. They were available at any time of the day when we wanted to share our grievances and even individual achievements which are not usually their priority. I have had 16px and big interactions with them which usually end with a joke cracked or a smile sent my way and I am extremely thankful for those lovely interactions. For me, they felt more like mentors than the rigid management that we usually expect at educational institutions. Especially when I think about the Vice-Principals at Sunbeam, I smile without even realising. The Vice-Principal was the first contact I had with Sunbeam when I came for the application of standard 11. They were like my mentors who I would run to when I face difficulties that I couldn’t solve on my own. I still remember them sharing uplifting words when I found it hard to adjust to Sunbeam on the very first week and I am still gratified for their cheer as it helped me to enjoy my days at Sunbeam. It is extremely important to share my experience with the teachers at Sunbeam. My school teachers came in all shades of character. But the one common shade was the passion they had for teaching their subject. I always wondered how Sunbeam always recruited the extremely passionate teachers or what questions they even ask to determine that. This passion that my teachers held was not only for the subject but also to foster the love for learning. I still remember the encouragements and tips I received when I couldn’t outperform myself and those words, even today, carry me through those frustrating times. My teachers also encouraged me to join cultural festivals like the Sunbeam Fest. The dance practices, the number of classes we skipped for those practices, the rehearsals, the ‘D-Day’ with all makeup and everything are my treasured memories which I can never recall without my teachers in them. The very 16px gestures that my teachers did, like asking if I had my breakfast or if I’m alright, were enough to charge me up as those 16px gestures really mattered in our rocky teenage. Another important aspect of my school life was my classmates. There were lots of times when we stood up for each other and shared our sob stories. I still remember sharing lunches, walking to restrooms as a group during break and even receiving punishments as a group. I think this bond that we formed and the kinship that we developed was all because of Sunbeam who made us believe that we are a family and thanks to that as most of our classmates still stay in connection with each other. As a Sunbeam Alumnus, I definitely should and will take pride in the infrastructure that my school offers. From the sports gadgets to the labs, from the music room to the libraries, name anything and you will find it at Sunbeam. My school provided me with everything that I needed for my overall development. There used to be a running joke among my classmates about how Sunbeam has a bus stand inside the school due to the number of buses that sunbeam provides for its students. It made sure to provide a very connective transport so that no student is left without access to the school. My school gave us access to all the facilities in the school without any restrictions. It takes a big heart to shape little minds and I will always be indebted to my alma mater for having the big heart. Sunbeam taught me how to face the curveball that the life throws at me, it showed me that I am strong enough to be independent and make my own decisions, it enlightened me that any regret that I have today will help me make better choices tomorrow and helped me understand that hard times are necessary to shine brightly just like a diamond. Sunbeam made me grow intellectually and emotionally strong. My school is like the concept of freedom; you will never completely understand its goodness until you experience it. Written by, Kezline Dharshini S 2017 (pass out). Treasuring The Small Things – A Memoir
