“So, what do you want to do after you graduate?”, the dreaded question every high school student faces. I certainly didn’t have a good answer throughout Grade 11 and 12, only now after studying for one and a half years an idea has crystallised.
I’m a full-fledged WIS kid, fulfilling all 12 of my schooling years at WIS. I completed the IGCSE in 2019 with 9 A*s and the IB Diploma in 2021 with 44/45 points.
My time at WIS instilled a deep found sense of curiosity in me for the world – from tiniest micro-organism through architectural wonder to stellar explosion. I remember being asked if I wanted to follow in my dad’s footsteps in becoming a geologist and my answer being (pointing at some nearby rocks) “but they’re so dead, they’re missing the life”.
Years down the road, I’ve now rediscovered the same idea – the science behind “life” is fascinating, look closely and it manages to thrive in the most unexpected places: an acidic hot spring, the depths of the ocean and the driest of deserts. I find the most interesting questions are those without an answer (they also just happen to be the most difficult) and questions about the origin of life, its evolution, the genetic and biochemical interactions underlying it, certainly fall in this category.
During the science fairs I did at WIS, I was introduced to the basics of scientific research, and this continued in IB when designing experiments for my IAs and Chemistry Extended Essay. Now I’m part of an honours course at university, designing a PhD proposal on the mechanisms of gene regulation and its impact on the quality of stem cells. My time at WIS has laid the foundation for a pursuit of scientific discovery, to deepen our understanding of the universe and harness the practical applications that spring to life (no pun intended) along the way.
In August I began my second year of studies at University College Utrecht in the Netherlands, following a Liberal Arts and Sciences program. Having the opportunity to try out different disciplines in my first year, ranging from a variety of science courses to Psychology and Philosophy, I’ve gained a sense of surety in what I want to pursue and will be majoring in Chemistry and Molecular Cell Biology. To deepen my knowledge, I took a summer course at UCL on the applications of Nanotechnology in Medicine and am currently planning an exchange semester at the University of California (Berkeley). There, I intend to take more specialised courses and scout out universities in the US for Master’s and PhD programs.
Maintaining a balance between academics and hobbies has and will always be important. Throughout my school years I did competitive swimming and the CAS program prepared me in juggling multiple activities with a high workload. Now, I am part of two committees on campus, organising student events, and swim in a casual group. Going to an International School also developed my love for learning about different cultures.
During lockdown and the stress of IB, making travel plans kept me sane; Rome, London, Paris, Vienna, my bucket list was never-ending. I was fortunate enough that my plans came to fruition, and at 17, after recently graduating, completed my first interrail trip across Europe. And after winning an interrail pass through the DiscoverEU program, I did it all again in the following year. In the two Summers I spent travelling, I explored 10 new countries, visited countless museums, went scuba diving, climbed a volcano, and made new friends along the way.
After living with just a 40L backpack for months and making questionable hostel choices, suffice to say my university dorm room compared to a luxury hotel. Yet travelling has benefited me in many ways. I’ve gained independence, learnt to deal with unexpected situations and regulate finances, all while taking cringy photos in front of the world’s most famous landmarks.
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