The virtue of the year is honesty. But has it actually influenced the actions of students in Haverford? Has it changed what we consider to be a student at Haverford, or how we choose to conduct ourselves in the near future? What is the purpose of even having a “virtue of the year”?
I have never looked to the virtue of the year to help guide my actions or dictate how I should conduct myself, nor do I expect to in the future. Until recently, my friends and I even had difficulty in remembering what the virtue of the year was. Based on my observations, I would imagine many others have a similar sentiment, rarely considering the virtue as a significant influence on their behavior.
Some students still use AI to complete assignments and present it as their own, while others refuse to acknowledge their mistakes and avoid accountability. These behaviors suggest that the virtue of the year has done little to make an impact on the way students conduct themselves. Without a greater emphasis on practicing the virtue in everyday situations, or meaningful encouragement to follow, the virtue of the year risks remaining a mere symbolic tradition.
All virtues should be practiced whenever the opportunity arises, rather than treating one virtue as significantly more important simply because it was the virtue for the year.
Caden Zhang ’29
Even if the virtue of the year had a greater impact on students, emphasizing only one virtue for the year could unintentionally influence them into prioritizing that virtue over others. All virtues should be practiced whenever the opportunity arises, rather than treating one virtue as significantly more important simply because it was the virtue for the year.
That being said, all virtues are still qualities that everyone should strive to apply, even on their most challenging days. Their importance should last longer than a single school year: to encourage others to practice it in the future.
