Goodbye and Good luck. Thoughts from our Graduates

Written by: Glenda Perks, Head of English

 

This is a collection of thoughts from our graduating class of 2020, where they share some sage advice and a few poignant reflections on their time at YCIS.

Nathan Wiltshire ‘Our last year wasn’t what we hoped it was, as the Covid-19 pandemic altered our plans yet we stand here waiting on our high school diplomas so we can begin the next chapter in our lives. We all struggled. Lost loved ones. But WE all came together and fought back. WE were stronger. WE were smarter. ALL looking out for each other. We weren’t separate countries helping each other, WE were the world fighting to survive and succeed.’

Ailin Liu ‘we are beautiful, as in every one of us has a beautiful soul and heart dedicated and willing to spend every effort on all we do in life, either as a hobby or work.’

Luna Cao ‘I have experienced many times worth recording with my classmates and teachers. Images of sleeping in the school gym, camping, Seeds of Hope trips, EOTC trips, Thailand trip, and so on are all deeply printed in my mind. And the most special thing is that we have experienced e-Learning under COVID-19, something we never dreamed of. But think about how powerful the Internet is. As we embark on a new journey, I believe that the Internet will keep us all in touch’

Isabella Gruber ‘Parents, it must have been an endless journey for you to spend time with us at home, well… stuck at home. Thank you for your patience, comfort and care. If it weren’t for you, we wouldn’t even be here today. Thank you for guiding us, and not defining us.’

Ruth Lim ‘When e-Learning started, I was on top of things. It was going great. Then, the assignments started piling up. I lost motivation. — but it’s okay, because you don’t have to be perfect. I got myself together, and I slowly started catching up. My message for you and for myself, is to not be so harsh on yourself. Your wellbeing is so much more important than a grade. Focus on the good times, let yourself ride out the bad times, and everything will be okay.’

Vicky Rudis ‘These two years of IB have made me a better thinker, because over the past two years I have learned to be inquiring, curious, and questioning. I now see so many different perspectives and sides to every situation or idea, resulting in me having debates in my head about my own moral standings. I have no doubt I will come out with and a clearer idea of who I really am and what I believe in.’

Zachary Ong ‘Being in IB meant that we had to be independent learners, taking initiative to read ahead on content or do self-review in our spare time. E-learning expanded our independent learning to encompass all our learning, rather than just revision. It forced us to be self-motivated. Honestly, this is pivotal in future learning, since we likely have to endure a lot of self-study to keep up with university coursework.’