The first step(s)...

I have decided to call this post 'The first step(s)...' You might be wondering why, especially because of the weird (s) thing I've done. It's because this post is going to be all about that 'first step' in many different situations throughout my life, which all contributed to getting me into Atlantic College and impacted the person I am today. Let's start this story of firsts shall we?


The first time I ever heard of UWC was when my senior, role model and friend, Germaine, shared her experiences of studying at UWC with me. Being the oldest child in my family, Germaine was someone I admired as an 'older sister'. She was studying at UWC Adriatic (in Duino, Italy), and whenever she was back for the holidays, she would leave me in awe with the amazing stories she had to share. Her stories fascinated me as I tried to imagine the possibility of having classmates from all over the world and being able to learn about so many different cultures and countries. I remember I thought to myself that I would be so overjoyed to have the chance to have the same experience, and I still can't really believe that I am going to! So I really owe Germaine a big thank you because I am quite sure that without her, this post would never have been written and I definitely would not be waiting in anticipation for my time at UWC!


The next very important piece of this jigsaw is my O' level Chinese Exam. In Singapore, we have a few national exams and the GCE O'level exam is one of them. I had been preparing to sit for it at the end of 2012, as I took Higher Chinese and for that reason would take the Standard level Chinese paper a year earlier. We've all heard of the great unsolved mysteries of the universe, like if there was an Atlantis and spontaneous human combustion. My getting into Higher Chinese is another of them. But back to the exam, when I realized that I was about to take A NATIONAL EXAM PAPER that (with no exaggeration whatsoever) was about to impact me big time, I started to think about my aims. By that I mean what school I was hoping to enter and basically what I wanted to do with my life. One of the things I came to realize while I was reflecting is that I did not just want to get into a school to get good grades. I wanted to do more with my life especially to help other people. I think that this life is too short to be selfish and too long to spend solitary. We all need one another and I wanted to give something back to the world, be it big or small. Out of the blue, UWC came into my mind and out of curiosity I decided to do a little Google search. This is when I found UWC Atlantic and a new love bloomed! 

I then decided to apply. I was unsure about whether I would get offered a place, and remember thinking at that stage that well, if anything happened, it could only get better. So with that in mind, I called the lovely admissions registrar, Ms Bishop. She was so helpful and friendly and before I knew it, I was sending her my complete application. 

Checking my inbox for my emails one day, I then saw an email from Ms Bishop - a request for an interview with the Vice Principal! I was so happy that day that despite getting a facial cramp, I continued to smile my way through it! (:(:(:

The next first was the first time I was on the UWC Atlantic campus. After I got the offer for an interview, I caused a bit of logistical chaos. My family had decided to take a nice long holiday to England at the end of 2012 (after my Chinese O's and before the other O' level papers I would be taking in 2013). This meant that having an interview over the phone or through Skype would be rather tricky. Moreover, despite Wales being wonderful, we had never included it in the rather packed itinerary. Yet, after some logistical adjustments, I found myself on the road to Llantwit Major where the school is! I am not one to be superstitious, but I am a literature student and so there was definitely some pathetic fallacy at play. The day we were in Wales, Stratford-upon-Avon (where we then staying) flooded while we got lovely clear, picturesque skies in Llantwit! That's nature talking(; 

When I got there, I had my interview with the very warm and open Vice Principal, Mr. Nick Lush. We had a lovely conversation spent mostly on the topic of the wonderful Shakespeare! I say conversation because the stereotypical understanding of an interview is basically a prison interrogation that takes place in a room that's not barred. I must say though that I was slightly worried after the interview having said that the gas in the atmosphere with the greatest percentage was HYDROGEN!!! That's what happens when Chemistry and you are not friends... It comes to bite you in the butt! Luckily, everything else must have been fine since I was offered a place. Phew! My dorm room joke must have worked... 

So that is basically my UWC story till now. I have started a countdown timer so that I don't have to keep counting dates on a calendar. I know I have 33 more days to go... Till then though, my UWC journey is in abeyance!

But before I end, I want to share this with you. Always believe in yourself and take risks. I think that that is the main lesson I have learnt from all this. Life works in funny ways and sometimes only many years down the road do we see the connections in the little things that happen over the course of our lives. Since nothing is immediate, sometimes we just have to take a leap of faith. Because without it, we might be compromising or even completely closing a huge opportunity that is waiting with open arms for us. 

To use the words of another because they put it so much more elegantly, "Don't stop believing, hold onto that feeling..." - Don't Stop Believin', Journey