There are a couple of moments that have stuck with me. I’ll never forget my whole-body shivers from performing in Chapel for the first time, nor the frantic dash to sign-in after climbing in the Old Gym.

Yet my favourite memories are the moments of peace amidst the chaos. It was such a blessing to be able to play the piano in the Outpost, to find time and space to breathe in the middle of the school day. One final image that’s seared in my mind – midway through a climbing session, I ran out of the Sportsplex, sat on the pull up bars, and just watched as the sun slowly set over the Arena.

I think about my Social Studies 10 report from Mr. Fraser a lot. I thought I was starting at Shawnigan fine; the prep was going well, class was fairly easy – yet he reported, “I find he is spending a great deal of time on things of little significance.”

Then what was significant? I had just arrived from Hong Kong, and had kept the mindset that my work, my arguments, my word count, and my marks were all that mattered. Mr. Fraser had spotted that I was doing well academically, but there was so much else that I was missing. His report got me to reflect on what truly mattered to me. It was my first step to treating Shawnigan not just as a place to get my APs done, but as a home. Even now, his quote serves as a reminder to pause, to take a step back, and think about the big picture.

There are definitely little things – I’ve been destroying people at foosball ever since…

Slightly more importantly, Shawnigan was the first time I was immersed in a totally different culture. In my first years, I had worried a lot about “integrating” too much and losing something about myself. Yet eventually, I realized each place had its own unique way of doing things, and something to learn from each other. Rather than focus on the differences that bring us apart, I saw the benefits of combining our approaches together. So as I was starting my next journey in the UK, I was well prepared to keep an open mind – not to get bogged down in how weird or different they did things, but to appreciate and grow from it. 

I hope Shawnigan continues to be friendly, kind, and welcoming, stays multicultural and international, and can keep providing such a beautiful learning environment for decades to come. For my own reasons, I also wish the very best for the climbing program.

Keep in mind that I’m still figuring it out myself!

If I had to answer, I’d say don’t be afraid to stay general. In my case, I was well aware that doing History as an undergrad wouldn’t transfer directly into anything, but it set me up with the skills to stay adaptable and mobile – I’ve dipped into research, law, government, and consulting among others. With all the change around the world, who knows what careers will be left? Might as well prepare yourself for anything. 

There are so many incredibly talented and passionate people at Shawnigan that have inspired me to care about what I do, and do it to the best of my ability. Mr. Mayes, for example, would give the most routine Chemistry class with gusto, share wonderful anecdotes, and at the same time wouldn’t hesitate to give extra help and tutorials to anyone who needed them. I take inspiration from my peers – seeing the dedication that they put into their passions, whether in robotics, theatre, or art, always motivated me to work for that extra hour, or write that extra essay!

A very special figure at Shawnigan though has to be Griffin the cat. On my first day at Shawnigan, he didn’t stress me out – but rather simply walked into my room, sat on my luggage, and made me feel welcomed. Just like that, he had made my day. He shattered my conceptions about cats by being so incredibly friendly. I aspire to be as passionate as my peers, and as warm and kind as Griffin.