I really enjoy the saying that “first impressions last,” but just as important – perhaps even more so – are the final impressions we leave behind. As our Year 12 students prepare to finish their schooling journey, the idea of “finishing well” takes on real significance.
I learned this the hard way in my very first teaching job. I was young, silly, and not a particularly good teacher. I struggled to get through each week, and quickly discovered that if I volunteered for lots of extra activities, like supervising excursions, coaching sporting teams and putting on musicals, I would be out of class more often and have to teach less. At the end of the year, I decided to head overseas for some brand new adventures. On my final day, the principal spoke kindly about me, praising all the opportunities I had given the students. Instead of graciously accepting her words, I foolishly joked that I only did those things to get out of class. No one was amused, and I left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth – especially the principal’s.
It didn’t worry me at the time as I was leaving, so what did it matter? Well, a few years later, I applied for a job at another school. Guess who the principal was? The way I finished that first job came back to bite me!
Finishing school is not simply about completing exams and walking out the gates for the last time. It’s about the legacy you leave, the way you treat your peers and teachers, the effort you show until the very end and the example you set for younger students.
The cliche of “finishing well” matters because it shapes how this chapter is remembered, both by you and by those around you. A good last impression isn’t just about results, it’s about respect, gratitude, and perseverance. For Year 12 finishing well is about honouring the journey, marking the transition with pride and stepping confidently into the future.
And you never know when your path is going to cross someone who you thought was part of your past! Make sure your last impression lasts!
Greg
