Leo Xiong
2022 graduate of SCIE, studying at Vanderbilt University
Looking back at my four years at SCIE, the memories that pop out most prominently would be the ones at the football team.
I have started to show great passion for football in elementary school. While in middle school, I would grab a small wooden stool and sit at the middle of football pitch for sit-in protests the school’s prohibition of playing football during noon break. However, my “football career” at SCIE is simply distinctive. Throughout the four years, I have made tons of mistakes either on pitch or off pitch and did have plenty of bad times physically and mentally. I from time to time found myself lost in self-doubt and massive pressure caused by great responsibilities. What encouraged me to pull myself back together and led the team won the record breaking “Treble” were the unprecedented containment and trust from all my teammates, seniors, and coaches
Back in G1, my captain Harry invited me into a team full of seniors and SCIE aluminis to compete in an off-campus tournament. With this opportunity, I improved individually and got to know the great predecessors James and Knife from Class of 2016. I then frequently join their weekend and summer holiday games and so got acquainted with many other members of Class of 2016, 2017, and 2018. My captain in G2 year, CZ, gave me a dozen of suggestions and assistance about choosing college, planning activities, and the application season. I wouldn’t bother stressing how Nick, captain in A1 year, dominated the international school leagues and led us won the Treble. All those seniors I got to know provided me wisdom or mental support zealously when I was in need. I greatly appreciate their help and decided on my own to inherit and pass on this spirit of helping and guiding the juniors. Being captain myself this year, though it was a shame we couldn’t compete in the International School leagues due to the pandemic, I tried my best to be the example and help the team. I also hope that now after I’ve left, the future captains would carry on this great team convention.
One other thing I love most about SCIE is that, here I felt a strong kindness among all grades that I never felt before. Due to its high degree of freedom, I got to explore my interests and arrange my schedule. I tried to do charity and set up my own street vendor. I also got to cultivate my self-study awareness. Here at SCIE, I formed some friendships that I would cherish for life. Most important of all, SCIE and all my four years made me a more independent and mature person. Those are some characteristics that I value significantly.
I would also like to share what my application season brought me. In a word, my application season made me honed myself. I tried to balance my time between writing essays, doing activities, and handling class works. I failed pathetically by getting two Bs and realized afterwards that there were still much to improve in many areas I found myself confidence with. The two Bs in A2 mid-year report later became nightmares that haunted me while I was tormented by desperation from rejection letters, lack of support from surroundings, regret of not giving my full effort, and pressure from my family. For the first time in 19 years, life had become dim to me, and I failed to catch my breath while jogging. All I could do was calling a friend of mine and started sobbing. By talking with friends and self-reflections, I eventually learned not to equalize my efforts and outcome. This way of thinking comforted me massively and prevented me from falling to a state of self-doubt. I realized that I craved for high-ranking universities excessively and in reality, ranking is just one of the factors to be aware of. What matters more is if the school actually suits you. As long as you come to a place you are comfortable with and work reasonably hard, the future would still be bright.
My four years at SCIE would always play a very special part to me in life. I hope one day in the future when I re-visit SCIE, the mother school is as resplendent and glorious as I first came.
