Head Girl of Holy Family Convent, Bambalapitiya, Imshi Reiss has assimilated a reality of life, that is that a pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, and an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty. Perfect Prefects features Reiss, who is resolute in her mission to make a difference.
Her message is a message of hope, a message that carries promise, a message of positivity and a message that will bring about a change in the quality of life for all youngsters. “To a boy or girl facing the real world, I would like to tell him or her to always be himself or herself and not to conform just because people tell them to conform. Never change your originality for the sake of others. Always try to stand out and make people notice you for your personality and character and not your knowledge or grades. Grab every opportunity that comes your way because they say ‘a pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty,” says Reiss.
Reiss believes that great leadership and passion are inseparable. If you want to achieve something you need to be passionate about it. She says a leader can be a good leader through knowledge and good qualities, but what makes a leader great is being passionate about what you are doing. If a good leader is passionate about leading, he/she will never stop at being good or average but will strive towards greatness! “As a leader Mahatma Gandhi has always inspired me as he is associated with peace and because he stood up against injustice. Gandhi is widely acknowledged as a great and wise leader. He said ‘live as if you were to die tomorrow and learn as if you were to live forever’. I think that is an important and inspiring thing to live by,” explained Reiss. Giving without expecting anything in return, loving unconditionally and enjoying the simple things in life has been inculcated in Reiss from childhood.
“My biggest inspiration in life is definitely my mother and my father. If I am anyone in this world today it’s because of these two amazing human beings. They always teach me about life, love and society. They have taught me about the importance of hard work, helping others and giving without expecting anything in return. To love unconditionally, to compromise and to be satisfied with simple things in life is how to enjoy life. They inspire me every day and they will continue to inspire me,” added Reiss.
Reiss understands the power of gratitude. This is a power indeed because, it is the key to happiness. When we realize that we have so much to be thankful for, it also motivates us to do everything we can to make a difference in the life of someone else who might not be as fortunate as us. One huge issue she sees in the world is poverty - A situation that you or I won’t understand because we are blessed with a roof above our heads and a good education. But in many parts of the world there is so much suffering. Reiss says that right now she cannot do much about the misfortunes of others, but one day with God’s grace she will be able to help them.
Acts of kindness can create a ripple effect. If we can spread love as quickly as we spread hate and negativity this can rapidly change the world.
“Changing the world is an almost impossible task for humans, but in my own way I would like to show society that it’s okay to care for one another, and to lend a helping hand, to give without expecting anything in return and always do what you can to make others happy. As long as we help each other I think society can become a better place. As students’ I think we are capable of doing this,” pointed Reiss.
Reiss’s ambition has always been to become a doctor - any kind of doctor for that matter. The thought of being around people, listening to people, being able to treat them, to provide people with a chance to live and seeing people cured has always been what she has wanted in life. Making her parents proud and providing for them is something she feels very strongly about.
When it comes to school matters her secret to success is that she has been able to present herself as a responsible person, enabling her to win the respect of her Prefects guild. As a confident young woman, others have seen her confidence and believed in it. This includes the teachers and fellow prefects.
When it comes to multi-tasking, communication and teamwork, has helped Reiss maintain order. The school is around 3000 strong. She says that without the cooperation, love and support she gets from her three heads and 33 amazing prefects, she would not have been able to do what she has done.
“I along with my three heads I make sure that the prefects fulfill their duties. They all have their individual responsibilities. That is how we oversee a large number of students. To a student who is becoming a leader, I would like to tell him or her to be humble. Appreciate the faith that is placed in you by your teammates. Be respectful towards your teammates, be approachable, be kind but firm and you will make a great leader and people will follow you,” stated Reiss.
Reiss adds that her school HFC Bambalapitiya is well known for its discipline and having a religious background. The school has played a vital role in the formation of her character. It has instilled ethics and values that have made her a responsible and valued member of society.
“My school has also taught me to treat people equally and I am really grateful for that. One thing that we must never forget is that we too are part of what we call ‘society’. So, we should always treat others the way we would want to be treated. We should always put ourselves in their shoes and look at the situation from their point of view. Then we can create a society that is kind, understanding and not judgmental,” explained Reiss.
She has many outside interests. She is a nature lover and is an outdoors person and loves rivers, waterfalls and mountains.
“I read many books. At least I used to when I had plenty of time! I love reading fantasy novels. Getting lost in another world makes you forget about reality for a few minutes and each story has something that we can learn about and that’s always a plus. When it comes to movies, I love crime. Surprisingly the process of solving a crime has always fascinated me more than finding the actual killer! It’s never boring and keeps me in suspense. Something that you learn is that people are not always who you think they are. When it comes to music, I love slow music that has deep meaning. I think when you are having a bad day a good song can lift your spirits!’ says Reiss.
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