Adonie: Developing a Sound Personality Instead of Being Perfect

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Adonie

class of 2022, University of Cambridge

01 First impressions

I became an SCIE student in the summer of 2018. At first I didn’t really intend to apply for SCIE, and only when I learned that some of my friends had applied for the entrance exam did I try it out with the mentality of giving myself a test – and as I had expected, I only made it into the waitlist, and I didn’t receive my official offer until about a month later.

After I started my studies here, I realised that the environment of SCIE is much more relaxed than that of other non-international high schools. The wide range of courses to select from and the plethora of extracurricular activities gave me a pleasant surprise. In this atmosphere, I quickly adapted to the new courses and found my own pace of life here.

02 Studying Biology

I was lucky enough to be taught by the best Biology teachers (in my opinion) throughout my four years at SCIE, and the encouragement and knowledge they kindly offered me strengthened my desire to apply for biology-related majors in A1. Studying Biology was a challenge, but it also brought endless inspiration, and gradually I started to discover the true beauty of the course and life itself. The sound of chirping birds reminds me of how the various physiological features of birds make flight possible; bright sunlight filtering through the shadows of tree leaves reminds me about the complex steps of photosynthesis. I couldn’t help but appreciate nature’s ingenious designs, meticulous like clockwork; and when I learned about the long and profound process of evolution, I began to admire this “blind” clockmaker – directionless evolution has produced so many successful life forms, and those that have been eliminated in the process are equally worth studying … the list of examples goes on and on.

In addition to what I have learned in classrooms, I have benefited a lot from other academic activities. The BrainBee competition roused my curiosity about neuroscience, and two years of iGEM experience helped me explore further the potential of microorganisms in synthetic biology. Biology is a tool for me to appreciate this enormous world, opening up new outlooks for the future as my understanding of it deepens.

03 Dealing with applications

At the beginning of the application season, I could not help but feel a little confused as many of my friends start their preparations very early on, while I remain indecisive. After doing research on various universities, I decided to try applying for Cambridge: Natural Sciences in Cambridge is an interdisciplinary course, and undergraduate students are able to explore their future directions with relative freedom.

During the application process, my counselor, Ms. Iris Cheung , offered me a lot of guidance. My grades are not the best among my peers, so writing a good personal statement is especially important to me. Iris didn’t help me write my entire PS, but analysed for me the materials I have at hand and how to use them appropriately; gave me tips and resources to improve my writing; and encouraged me to find subject teachers and classmates to communicate with. With the help of my teachers, my family and my classmates, I did not procrastinate much (which was rare!) and successfully submitted my personal statement and other materials onto UCAS.

After submitting an application, most people applying for Cambridge enter the entrance examination, and after passing the entrance examination, they will be interviewed. I actually enjoyed the process of preparing for the interview more than the entrance exam. I realised that the Cambridge interview process is actually similar to supervisions at Cambridge, and the main purpose of the interview is to allow admissions officers to determine whether the student’s way of thinking is in line with Cambridge’s teaching methods. Through countless mock interviews, the interview gradually changed in my minds eye – from a daunting assessment to a two-way discussion between teachers and students. Even if the test questions involve knowledge that I have never learned, I will try to use my existing knowledge to express myself as clearly as possible, and try to find the answers to those questions, step by step and with some guidance. I really like the inspiration these discussions bring to my thinking, and I gained confidence to express myself openly.

During the actual interview I was relatively calm, and the interviewers were very friendly. I had two interviews – I did pretty well in the first one, but the first question in the second one involved some calculation, soI panicked and couldn’t figure it out in the given amount of time. In order to avoid total silence, I still bit the bullet and told the interviewers the thought process that I wrote down as rough work. After that interview, I initially thought that I don’t really stand a chance against other, more academically competitive candidates, and on the day the offers were released, I simply went out with my friends to relax. The good news arrived when I was waiting for an elevator.

Looking back, I feel a strong sense of gratitude. I am grateful for all the warm assistance I have received from teachers, family and friends, for all the right choices I have made and the effort I have put in along the way, and for being able to find what was right for me and to fall in love with it.

04 ECAs

Extracurricular activities also make up an important part in SCIE life. Whether it was basketball, creative writing, traditional archery or charity work, I was able to immerse myself in all these activities and took joy in taking part. These experiences made me unafraid to embrace new things and taught me the importance of enriching myself in all aspects – basketball gave me a healthy physique, writing gave me creativity, archery gave me focus, and charity work taught me to always bear kindness and empathy. At SCIE, imperfection is often the norm for me, but instead of focusing on being perfect, this life helped me focus on developing a sound personality and becoming “whole”.

05 Epilogue

At SCIE, the world seemed to open up for me, and in this vast world, there will always be a place for you too. It is natural to harbour some doubts about yourself and about your future in high school, and you don’t have to worry too much about it. Explore both the outer world and your inner world, and one day you will find your own direction.