ON ROSES AND STARS

Whats in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.
It seems to me that I and William Shakespeare are stuck in the same quagmire.
Oftentimes, we tend to put a lot of emphasis on names. We put too much focus on the way
things and people are called that we overlook the real substance that there is. For instance,
we are often asked where our names came from or why are we named this way. Couldnt it
be because our parents wanted to? Names, like words, are arbitrary symbols used to
represent a concept. Any student who took up or who is taking up Philo 1 would be aware of
that. It is to my amusement that while we know that names are just a random permutation
of letters, we still care too much about them.
Consider the word coffee. This name embodies the concept of coffee a drink which tastes
and smells like heaven. Now, if we are to call coffee by another name, say lanyard, would
the taste and smell of coffee be less heavenly? Im afraid not. Coffee by any other name
would taste and smell as heavenly. It is in the same way that pizza wouldnt be made less
sumptuous by calling it booger and a non-working holiday less joyful by calling it takehome acads day. Names are not of great importance. It is the concepts symbolized by
those names that bear the most weight.
With these thoughts about names, I began to think why, of all names, would our batch be
called Polaris. I was a part of the group who proposed the name. Truth be told, we just
suggested this name out of necessity. We looked for a random word which sounds
mellifluous and scientific, and presented it thinking that another name will be chosen
anyway. We were wrong of course. After our batch mates have casted their votes, it has
been decided that we will be called Polaris. It was a shock for me. Why would we call our
batch by a name which has no meaning at all? And so I googled the word Polaris and tried
to see if I can gouge something from the depths of the internet.
Polaris, according to Wikipedia, is the brightest star in the Ursa Minor constellation. It is also
called the North Star or Pole Star because it is situated almost directly above the earths axis
of rotation above the north pole. It is because of the stars placement that it became very
useful as a reference point in astronomy and in navigation. People from all walks of life
astrophysicists, seafarers, meteorologists, campers depend on Polaris as their guide
whether they are travelling or doing their researches. Polaris ability to guide, to lead, is
what sets it apart from all the other stars in the night sky.
After combing through every webpage I could open, it came to me that the name Polaris is
quite a difficult name to embody. Leadership is what the name suggests, and being a leader
is not an easy responsibility. Being able to lead people to the right path, however, is a
rewarding experience, no matter how difficult it is. And I do think that our batch is up for the
challenge. Leaders are born and made, in the same fashion as how stars are conceived and
developed. Every time I see a batch mate, I see a potential leader. Every time I see a batch
mate, I see a light radiating from within them. And we are a batch, and there are a lot of us.
So these potentials, these light, no matter how small they may be inside each person, will
sum up and become even bigger. The sum of the parts is greater than any individual part.
Together, we could be leaders. Together, we could be like the North Star, guiding people to
the right path. I realized that our batch name is not that difficult to personify after all.
Then, I began to think about what would happen if we chose another batch name. Would I be
freed from all these unnecessary overthinking? I dont think so. Polaris by any other name
would still be Polaris. We are a batch and our pursuit for leadership will not be diminished

even if we change our name countless times. I will still be finding a way to relate our batch
name to leadership, because that is what we want to do. We want to lead. We want to guide.
We want to shape. And our batch, no matter what our name would be, will still be longing to
be catalysts for positive transformation. This common goal is what led us to apply. We agree
with and admire the orgs thrust for shaping lives. And even if we have a different batch
name, this goal will not be extinguished.
Whats in a name? Nothing. Without the concept that it represents, a name is just a
meaningless mumbling of syllables. Our batch may be called Polaris, but our batch name
does not define us. We define our batch name, because we are the concept behind our
name. We are the substance behind the symbol. Polaris, by any other name, will still be
Polaris.