The Last Word

By Jacob Cumming | Posted: Monday April 12, 2021

I feel really honoured to be standing up here, having the opportunity to give a 'last word' as a prefect of 2021. It does make me slightly nervous!

The reason for the nerves is by standing here I am only 3 terms away from finishing my time as a student at this school.

I remember clearly walking through the archway as a Year 9 feeling anxious about coming to a school that felt like the biggest place in the world but also really excited about the opportunities Otago Boys' was hopefully going to offer.

Being involved in sport from a young age I have always enjoyed getting new gear and was proud to represent teams. Wearing the Otago Boys' uniform meant I was officially a student at Otago Boys'.

It meant a lot to me, but I also knew what it stood for and couldn't wait to get on the blue and white hoops. Every time I wear a sports uniform representing the school it gives me a thrill. I love my hooped 'baggie cap' from cricket and will miss not being able to wear it when I finish.

I know pride isn't a value of the school but having on the blue and white hoops fills me with real pride. I try to represent the school with all I have.

When I walked through the archway as a Year 9, I had small dreams of what I wanted to do during my time at OB’s. Over the last 4 years I have achieved most of those dreams that I had back then. That is the beauty of this school, it gives us so many opportunities to reach out, and be as good as we want to be, in the areas we want to be.

Some of my dreams for the future have changed and some of them are the same, only bigger and brighter. I know it will get harder to achieve these dreams as I will be competing with so many others in the big real world, and I won’t have the support I receive here at OB’s.

I know the end of my time at Otago Boys’ is fast approaching. That is a little bit frightening, as I am really comfortable here doing what I do. Being around my mates every day, playing sport and academically I fly under the radar. But just like when I was a Year 9 walking through the archway, I have my dreams to follow.

I will use the skills I have learnt at this school, and the help and support I have been given by so many to try and achieve these in the years to come.

So, for now I am going to make sure I enjoy every day. Make the most of every time I get to represent the school and wear the blue and white hoops and be around my mates. I still have a couple of dreams to achieve before I finish, and I am going to do my absolute best to make those dreams come true.

Since my speech has been focused around dreams and trying to achieve them, I am going to finish with a quote.

"Only as far as you seek can you go."
"Only as far as you dream can you be."