Celebrity
High school motto? Or fortune cookie
I attended a Catholic high school in the northwestern suburbs of Sydney, and the motto is: “Christ is my Light”.
The motto was subtly displayed near the school sign at the entrance for years, until a recent refurb saw it placed on a sign I’m pretty sure can be seen from space.
When the sign first went up the kids and I would yell it out at the top of our lungs, because being bigger just made it seem louder.
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I think a lot about my high school days while watching my children navigate their senior years, in particular years 10, 11 and 12 when it all gets very serious and intense and children are left to feel that unless they score top marks in every subject and have a perfect attendance, they will never amount to anything.
This couldn’t be further of the truth, as those of us who left high school long ago now know, but it sure did feel true while we were all there.
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Chatting to my 9honey colleagues, it is clear that our high school experiences were mixed. Some of us thrived, some of us coasted, and some of us got the heck out of there as soon as possible.
We then began sharing our school mottos and while some memories of our high school days are blurred, we all remember our school mottos. They are etched in our brains.
Some colleagues even began singing their school songs.
Making a list of all of the different school mottos and they seemed to be part astrological reading, and part fortune cookie.
More fortune cookie, but nevertheless still inspiring. A lot of them are in Latin.
“Labor Omnia Vincit”
This translates into “Work Conquers All” and it does! It just does!
As school mottos go, it’s a winner. It’s a winner, it’s a mantra and it would make for a brilliant social media motivational quote.
“Nil magnum Nisi Bonum”
This one means “Nothing Is Great Unless It Is Good” and this one gives of clear fortune cookie vibes.
I mean, duh, as the 90s and 2000s teenagers would say. Obvs, as my kids would add.
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“Ardentibus Nil Ardui”
This school motto translated means “To Strive Is To Achieve”. Perhaps, but as those of us with high school well in our review mirrors now know, striving doesn’t always lead to achieving.
And that’s okay. Because life can be unpredictable. Okay? Sometimes the striving is enough.
“Aude Somniare”
“Dare To Dream” is a pretty awesome high school motto, as far as I’m concerned. Because dreaming isn’t normally encouraged in high schools, from my experiences.
Dreaming is usually trained out of us in exchange for sure things, like tertiary education and studying and first jobs.
But I say dream away.
”Concordia Per Diversitatem”
This school motto means “Unity Through Diversity” which takes on new meaning these days for so many reasons.
Diversity is no longer just about Australia’s multicultural makeup, but diversity of thought, ability. Diversity is endless. And I love that it uses the word “unity”. Because unity is what it’s all about.
“Discovery And Progress”
Another that I quite like. I wonder if this was from one of those technical or selective high schools.
I love the use of the words “discovery” and “progress”, a nice departure from the rote learning and repeating of existing thought students are expected to participate in all thanks to standardised testing.
“Facta Non Verba”
This translates to mean “Deeds Not Words” and boy can we use this one nowadays. Thanks to social media it seems words mean more than deeds. A poignant social media post about an issue attracts praise.
But it can be argued that this isn’t a deed. Or is it? It’s all a bit blurry these days.
”Sub Tuum Praesidium”
This high school motto translates to mean “Under Your Protection” and it is giving The Handmaid’s Tale vibes for some reason.
But I’m sure it is innocent enough. But does it mean under each person’s own protection, as in they are protecting themselves? Or is “Your” meant to be God or government? So many questions.
“Religio Scientia Cultus”
As school mottos go, this one is a doozy. It means “Religion, Knowledge, Culture” and pretty much encapsulates everything.
Noting too specific, just everything.
“Learning For Living”
This gives agricultural high school vibes. I am picturing a small paddock garden and some farm animals, chickens at the very least.
“In Honour Bound”
Another that is open to wildly diverse interpretation but fitting as high school mottos go. I suppose when it comes to high school mottos, you don’t want to be too specific.
And just like fortune cookies, you want the individual to take from it what they will, depending on their own unique goals and circumstances.
“Quality, Opportunity, Excellence”
This one is giving off I-have-a-tutor-for-the-subject-I-am-already-getting-an-A- in” vibes, not to mention we-have-a-strict-school-uniform-policy vibes.
I’m sensing bi-weekly newsletters for parents instead of weekly, and a lot of committees.
“Knowledge. Pride. Success”
This was tied into the initial of the school apparently and it is also quite inspiring, isn’t it?
You can’t go wrong with more knowledge and pride, and success comes in many forms. Either way this one is #goals.
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”Tempus Celerius Radio Fugit”
This one has to be a fortune cookie. It just has to be! But I am told it is a high school motto that means “Time Flies Faster Than The Weaver’s Shuttle”.
I just can’t with this one, so I asked Gemini to explain it. And it said: “Time passes very quickly, much more swiftly than one perceives” and this is true!
Blink, and you are all grown up and out of high school and working and everything that follows.
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So it could either mean to hurry up with what you are aiming to achieve, or stop and savour each and every moment. It’s a high school motto, so I’m going with the former.
”Absque Deo Nihil”
This means “Without God, Nothing” which seems like it came from the same school of thought as “Christ Is My Light” which, as a good Catholic girl, I find sort of comforting.
And just a little scary.
Let’s go with comforting.
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