LATEST CELEBRITIES

Television and the media are regularly blamed for what is thought to be wrong with modern society. So it comes as no surprise that they’re held responsible for today’s apparent obsession with celebrities.

The strange thing about many of those who’re considered to be famous these day is that there’s little reason or basis for their fame. Some of them may be film stars, football players or popstars. Others, though, seem to achieve fame on the grounds, for example, that they’re a friend of someone famous, that they wear rather stranger, flamboyant clothes, or that they behave exceptionally badly in public. Indeed it’s notoriety rather than fame that some so-called celebrities achieve.

Of course, other generations have had their icons, but in the past fame seemed to be based more on talent and was longer lasting. The fame today’s celebrities is often very ephemeral indeed and they do not remain famous for long. They’re in the headlines for a few weeks and then fade from the scene. Compare this with the fame of some of the Hollywood greats, such as James Dean. Many of them remain legends long after their deaths.

The celebrities of today will do anything to go on appearing in the tabloids. Image is all-important to them and they just love publicity. Often they claim that they object to the paparazzi taking photographs, but they simply cannot live without the attentions of the media.

Once they’re in the public eye, they’re desperate to stay there, it seems. The worst thing that can happen to them is that attention is paid to someone else. Anything they do is subject to hype, image-makers being employed to ensure that their entire lives are conducted in a blaze of publicity.

They seek wealth as well as fame, although most of this is spent on their extravagant lifestyle. If all fails, they give sensational interviews about being cured of alcohol addiction, drug addiction or eating disorders. It’s sad but many of today’s heroes are not very heroic.

IT’S TIME FOR YOU TO STUDY!

I hope that you’re all aware of the importance of this year. It’s the year when you’ll take your final exams and it is, therefore, make-or-break year. Some of you’ve worked hard throughout the years and what all these students will need to do is to keep up the good work. Some have worked fairly hard, but may have to go the extra mile in order to be sure of passing the exams well. Others among you, and I suspect they’re too numerous to mention, have left themselves a mountain to climb. They’ll have to study very hard and do a great deal of revision if they are going to pass the forthcoming exams.

It’s important to understand that, if you start working hard now, it’s not too late. You must not simply throw in the towel at this stage and think that you’ve no chance of success. Provided that you’re prepared to put your back into it, there’s still enough time to get the required amount of work done. However, you must start now. Don’t decide to put the whole thing off until tomorrow.

You must try to work out a study schedule and stick to it. You also need to make sure that you’ve peace and quiet to work in. if some of you find it difficult to find the right study conditions at home-perhaps you may have rather noisy young brothers and sisters-the we’ll be happy to let stay on after the official end of the school day and provide you with a quiet place to study.

I’m not suggesting that you keep your noses to the grindstone at all the time. You’ll need plenty of rest and relaxation if you’re to study effectively. However, this is a year for making some special sacrifices. It’s time to give up the parties and take up the books. Don’t think you can carry on your social life and start studying when you get home. That means that you’ll burn the midnight oil and be too tired to concentrate either on your home studies or your schoolwork next day.

With that I wish you all a successful year and some excellent exam passes at the end of it. I’ll now leave you to the tender mercies of you from teachers.