Suhani Vats, Head Girl of Gurukul The School, Ghaziabad recently graduated from high school with an aggregate of 97.2 percent in the CBSE board exam and a perfect 100 in Psychology. 

As a student of Humanities and a future Business Psychologist, Suhani aspires to assist companies in developing a more meaningful company culture and improve employee wellbeing.

Apart from fulfilling her responsibilities as Head Girl at Gurukul The School, she is also a LifeSkills and Well-being Ambassador under the Adolescent Peer Educators Leadership Program of CBSE. Suhani is driven by a passion to foster holistic growth and equip students and peers with the necessary skills to navigate the challenges of their formative years. Through her work as an ambassador, Suhani is committed to addressing the misconceptions surrounding mental illness and spreading awareness about the importance of mental health.

EducationWorld presents the next story of its Student’s Corner series which turns the spotlight on children and their views. Introducing Suhani Vats from Gurukul The School, Ghaziabad.

1. The Students council representative is a coveted position. How do you carry out your responsibilities and studies together?

I have been immensely supported, motivated and pushed to my utmost potential by my teachers and parents. They deserve credit for my years of learning, exposure and opportunities I had at school which has given me the confidence to handle situations with ease, striking the right balance, by being organised and adept at time management. 

I have always been a part of the school council handling the post of junior head girl and vice head girl so I had ample opportunities to  learn from my seniors about how to strike the right balance between academics and other responsibilities.

I believe in empowering my team and I am blessed to have a great and accountable one which ensures smooth execution of the delegated work.  Being meticulous, driven and calm helps me strike the right balance between my studies and my responsibilities as a head girl.

2. Mention the challenges that come alongside this post.

Leading my equals at times becomes challenging. Time management is another. No matter how strong and immaculate your planning is, there is always some unforeseen situation which will require your attention and time.

Living up to the expectations of  parents, teachers, friends and the team and  keeping the energy levels high always even on the days that I actually feel low are some other challenges.

3. Working as the Head Boy/Head Girl has its own pros and cons. Friends have their umpteen demands on you. How do you maintain the same? How do you deal with your friends?

It is indeed challenging to lead your friends and  fulfill their demands but I think the  crucial characteristic for a head girl or any other leadership role is the ability to truly listen and resolve conflicts that may arise. It is also important to prevent misunderstandings by listening and appreciating that each student has different interests at heart, but one common motive – to improve the school. 

Being a psychology student  and working as a peer educator has helped a great deal in managing the demanding situations and myself.

4. How long do you spend on social media? If yes, how does it help you in life or How does it distract you in life? (Whichever is applicable for you)

I spend quite a bit of time on social media. It has proved helpful in sourcing information and gaining perspectives on a lot of topics. Also I have learned how to showcase my work and achievements to the world. It feels nice to get appreciation from friends and family beside the motivation to raise your bar. Although, I do abstain myself from it during  exams to avoid distractions.

5. Have you understood the National Education Policy 2020’s takeaway?

I think the new education policy is more learning and learner centric. The best part  is the flexibility it provides with the various combination of subjects that the learners can have. The policy has  increased focus on skill improvement and competency development of the students. It will help the students to be  future-ready by building 21st-century skills and also help the learners identify their skill sets much earlier. The shift from rote learning to practical learning will make students focus on both academics and co-curricular education.

The introduction of tech-based vocational learning and coding would help develop students the skill set required to excel in the modern world.

6. Do you think this post of the Head Boy/Head Girl helps you develop your soft skills and makes you industry-ready? Or is this very much related to school activities only, and the industry is way different? Your views… 

Being the Head Girl has given me experience in leadership and organisation – I have  attended events outside of school hours and have organised these events too, which has  given me an idea as to what it is like to have a position of leadership in the future (possibly even in my career).

The thing I enjoy most about my role is being able to reach out to younger peers and make sure that everyone is heard and appreciated.

I have discovered another side of the school that I never saw before. It has helped me see the functioning of the institution closely and the hard work that every teacher and non-teaching staff puts in for the smooth functioning of the school. I, myself, have now contributed to this smooth running which will definitely help me in my future endeavours.