‘I learnt hard work from the teachers here’

Whenever we talk about our school days, it brings with it sweet nostalgia. The days when we looked forward to a particular class because the teacher was excellent or the days when the school was gearing up for Annual Day and some of us were busy preparing for the function. School is also the place where our personalities start to form, steering us toward the paths we will one day choose.

The friendships made in the moments between classes last forever, bound by common experiences and explorations. School days also provide a welcome pause from life’s later complexities, offering a simpler, joyful time that warms our hearts upon reflection. Every trip down memory lane brings those cherished school memories back to life, reminding us of the valuable lessons that continue to guide us.

Meet one such alumna of Apeejay School, Faridabad, Sector 15 – Sakshi Virmani Julka, who reminisces about her school life with great fondness.  

Tell us about yourself.

I passed Apeejay in the year 1998 and presently I’m working at Delhi Public School, Sector 19. For the last two years, I was part of the admission team; this time I’ve been made the English coordinator. I’m in the Pre-primary wing and teach class I. But in essence, I teach all the subjects. I joined this school in 1984 and spent the next 14 years there and there are several memorable instances.

Kindly share a few.

I had a few favourite teachers at the school. I am told that some of them have since retired. But I remember how good they were with the students when it came to mentoring them. Another instance that stands out goes back to the time when our bus broke down. One of the teachers was going to the school, and she stopped and offered to take as many students as her car would accommodate. It was one of the grandest gestures that I was witness to.

You are a writer. How did you get interested?

I am not a writer per se but I write. It all began when my son left for Pune to pursue his Computer Engineering. I had time and started an Insta page. I post random things — whatever comes to my mind. Also, being a teacher means that you end up being part of all the school functions. That enhanced my writing skills as I would sometimes end up writing a script as well.

What do you write about?

As I mentioned above, it could be on anything – whatever takes my fancy then. Sometimes, I write in paras, and other times it could be a poem. I am an over-thinker so I write what comes to mind. Also, I tend to write more during holidays; at present, we have summer vacations so I have ended up writing more.

Skills you learnt at Apeejay.

While the school taught us several skills the two most important ones that have stayed even today is to work hard. The kind of curriculum the school followed meant that you would get used to working diligently and giving your best

I was also part of the various school activities and remember participating in dance events, especially going to the YMCA doe performances.

Apeejay places stress on human values. What have you learnt from these values? 

Human values are extremely important since they define the character of the person. Whatever we do daily, it is all about the education that we have got – from the teachers and our parents. I would like to credit my parents for ensuring that I ended up studying at Apeejay.

Impact the teacher had on you.

The teachers of the school are excellent. What I have learnt is due to the teachers of Apeejay. They were our guiding light. This meant that they left a long-lasting impression. How to work hard is one thing that has stayed with me.