This week we congratulate and farewell the class of 2022. The curtain will come down on thirteen years of schooling at Mueller College for this year’s one hundred and twenty-two graduands. In the minds of many of them….they are finally free.
It is ironic that we spend our younger years yearning for the freedom that comes with adulthood. Only to find in our adulthood we reminisce about the lack of responsibilities of our younger years and the good times we had in high school. For our current Year Twelves, those younger years and the good times in high school all come to end in a couple of days! And soon after it has, the good things they got to enjoy and perhaps took for granted, will become forever a memory. I asked some of our graduands what things they would miss when gone.
“The community – no matter where I was within the school there was always a teacher to talk to or a student to catch up with”
“I’m going to miss seeing my close friends each day and all the friends I’ve made from younger grades.”
“Chapels – taking time out of Friday classes to spend time in praise and worship”
“All the school sports and being able to try all new sports, competing each week”
“$6 Chicken Parmies at the tuckshop. I can’t get them that cheap anymore”
“Getting up at 7:30am every morning. Getting home at like 3:30 p.m.”
“Sports practices. School makes you play sport and stay in shape.”
“The early morning volleyball training followed by free breakfast”
“Class discussions and debates”
“All the events – the fete, the musical……the Orange You Belong shirts!”
“Monday morning assemblies – always something fun and entertaining”
“Being reminded that you could be anything, do anything, and it was actually possible.”
“I’ll miss that no matter where I went, there was always a friend within a one-minute walk of me.”
“Uniforms. We hated them at the time, but the idea of having to sort out clothing for work so you don’t look poor or unstylish is a problem I’m not looking forward to.”
“I’ll miss a completely different subject every 45 minutes. I’ll get bored doing the same thing all day, even if I enjoy whatever it is.”
“I’ll miss the complete lack of responsibilities. You just got up, did some stuff, had fun, and then went to bed.”
These memories align well with research in this space and fit into five main categories of 1. Being known and part of a community; 2. Interacting with favourite teachers: 3. Being part of clubs, teams, or extra-curricular groups; 4. Enjoying the different areas and facilities on campus; and 5. Quality time with friends.
Mueller College acknowledges that knowing Jesus as personal saviour has even greater significance than all those things students miss. Our mission statement has been achieved if every student graduates from Mueller knowing the good news of the gospel, which is the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. This is our prayer for this year’s graduands.
Congratulations to the class of 2022. We are proud that you have all made it; of all you have achieved, and the contribution those of you have made to Mueller College during your time here. We wish you all the very best as you begin the next chapter of your lives.
Ben Stiller
