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Eugene Tan ‹ EF Academy Blog

Studying abroad is exciting, there’s just no other way to put it. It’s been the best time of my life and can be yours too as you meet people from all over the world, gain experiences unlike any other, and make new memories in life. However, if you’re ill-prepared, you might find the transition from comfortable family living to living independently quite difficult and stressful. 
My circumstances were fortunate as I had a lot of support from my parents, admissions office, and more. Yet, I know some people who were in potentially avoidable tough spots at the start of their journey. If only they had known some information beforehand or thought of contingency plans for any possible mishaps. I’ve been where you are before, and I want to help make your experience of studying abroad as painless as possible. 
So, here are 7 things to know before studying abroad.
<h3>1. Choose where to study</h3>
Countries are just like people, no two are exactly the same. When you’re making friends, you’ll most likely find it easier to connect with people who are compatible with you. In choosing a country or place where you want to spend a significant amount of your time living and studying, you’ll want to do the same but in the form of some research. 
First, learn more about the country’s language, culture, religion, mannerisms, food, and more so you’re not flying in blind. Perhaps you do want to go in without any previous conceptions or expectations, which is fine as well. No matter what though, it’s always nice to know what you’re dealing with first so you won’t regret your decision after.
<h3>2. Weather & clothes</h3>
Something you might want to consider is the weather. Research the climate and the average temperature of the place you’ve chosen. I am originally from Malaysia, a country with a 37 degree Celsius average temperature all year round, so this means sporting light shirts with shorts. 
I’ve studied at <a href="https://www.ef.com/academy/campuses/torbay/">EF Academy Torbay</a> which has, let’s say, eccentric weather. As I’m writing this blog, the blinds are drawn to block the blinding sunlight and warmth from annoying me. However, just two weekends before, we had a snowstorm that hadn’t happened in Torbay in over nine years. Tomorrow and the next couple of days, we’re expecting a lot of rain. As you can see, it’s best to know the weather in the area so you can pack the appropriate clothes from your home country.
<h3>3. Phone plan</h3>
This is absolutely essential when studying abroad. You never know if you’ll suddenly need to make a call at the airport, use your data for Google Maps, or search for information like a taxi company. Before you travel, check with your mobile phone provider if they have international plans with the country you’re moving to and if it’s still affordable. 
If not, be sure to sign up for a mobile plan at the airport once you touch down so you have one less thing to worry about. If you can, do also pack a cheap backup phone just in case something happens to yours. You can never be too careful.
<h3>4. Budgeting and finances</h3>
This may not be something that’s constantly on your mind when your parents are around but while studying abroad, you need to be aware of your monetary circumstances and budgeting. Just like your mobile service provider, make sure your bank knows what’s up before you leave so they don’t decline your payments when you’re buying some coffee. 
Some things you should be aware of if you aren’t already are:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 300;">your bank’s international charging fee</li>
<li style="font-weight: 300;">the current exchange rate between your home country and the country you’re moving too</li>
<li style="font-weight: 300;">the monetary system of your new home. </li>
</ul>
For example, when I was in America, it took me forever to get used to their coin system and it got embarrassing sometimes when I was fiddling about my wallet to get the right coins. So be sure to know the system so you can avoid being “that person.”
<h3>5. Emergency number</h3>
Now, we all probably know the emergency number of different countries so of course, that’s not what I’m referring too. (Note: Get to know the emergency hotline of the country you’re moving to if you don’t already know it.) What I’m talking about is the emergency number of your school/college/university so there’s someone you can call if you get lost or something has happened to you at the airport upon landing. 
To be well prepared, be sure to have the emergency number written physically on a piece of paper as well to keep in your luggage in case something happens to your phone.
<h3>6. Electronic devices</h3>
On the flip side though, phones and laptops are absolute essentials as most schools and colleges nowadays are being more electronic by introducing Google and other learning programs into their system. If you don’t have a laptop, you’re going to find it difficult to type up that 1,000-word essay on your phone screen or create a presentation on your tablet. 
Be sure to know your school/course and get the appropriate electronic equipment.
<h3>7. Culture shock & homesickness</h3>
I know a lot of friends who experienced culture shock when they first started studying abroad, and many of my friends experience homesickness throughout the academic year. By following the first tip, hopefully, you’ll avoid culture shock. However, sometimes unforeseen events may tip you off, so you’ll need to cope. 
In order to do this, do keep an open and positive mind of what’s happening around you and ask for help. Don’t isolate yourself and just hope for someone to come along. You have to take responsibility for yourself because you’re now a young adult. 
As for homesickness, I’ve never experienced homesickness before because – well, I don’t know why. So, from my experience observing others, maybe bring along some food from your home country and call your parents regularly. Keep in mind that no matter how much you miss home, the next holiday is just around the corner so just enjoy your time abroad because you’ll miss it when it’s over.
 
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Students who study abroad with us at EF Academy are given the opportunity to grow in confidence and become independent thinkers. We provide a thorough preparation for university and a future that knows no borders.

Studying abroad is exciting, there’s just no other way to put it. It’s been the best time of my life and can be yours too as you meet people from all over the world, gain experiences unlike any other, and make new memories in life. However, if you’re ill-prepared, you might find the transition from …

7 things to know before studying abroad - EF Academy Blog

7 things to know before studying abroad ‹ EF Academy Blog

7 things to know before studying abroad

7 things know studying abroad

The culmination of weeks and months of practice and rehearsals hinge delicately on a single, fateful night. Sensations of excitement, contraction of elation, and the infection of the ‘buzz’ all around you gets under your skin, into your system. You’re good to go but just as you’re about to take that step out into the spotlight, a thought crosses your mind. It’s fleeting, but you feel it anyway. You accommodate the thought, thinking that perhaps you’re braver than it. “I’m the master of my own destiny, nothing will go wrong,” you try to convince yourself. But you know, you’ve always known. Something could go wrong. Performing live, major mistakes aren’t allowed, and, even if they occur, the show must seamlessly go on with an air of confidence and professionalism. This could amount to tremendous pressure, especially if the performer has stage fright. No matter the individual, we all have something we’re afraid of.
Perhaps you’ll recognize little pieces of yourself within these familiar words. The story which we are about to embark upon is a personal one, of which I am still riding out. As such, I do not know the answers to the problems which may arise as you read on. However, I believe that from the months I’ve spent in reflection of these events, I may be of some service for due advice. Whether you too are a performer with stage fright, a perfectionist struggling to make a start on your work, or simply someone who spends too much time in their own heads calculating the endless possibilities of the future, this is for you. May you find comfort in the knowledge that every single one of us stumbles into this same pit at some point in our lives, and courage in the fact that we have the choice to climb out of it.
There are three events which feed into the bulk of this journey. The first in a sequence of emotionally draining encounters start with EF Academy Torbay Singing Club’s 2016 Christmas Concert. (Gee, that’s a mouthful now that I think about it.) By this first round of auditions early in the year, I hadn’t yet been able to crawl out of my shy exterior. As the months passed on, I watched as the other members practiced their solos every Thursday afternoon at 4:15PM, perched atop a blue chair, listening and thinking.
Sure, I was a part of the closing song in collaboration with the rest of the singing club, but I wanted to do more, yet I couldn’t find the courage within myself to do so. The night of the concert, as I waited in my seat for the final act to spring forward, listening to all the others sing unlike how they’d done within the confines of the club all those past practices before, I felt deeply dissatisfied with myself. I imagined myself up on that stage where my friends were, I pretended that I was all-at-once brave enough to get up there and be myself. But it was all in my head, and I felt frustrated. However, during this excruciating wait, I made a promise to myself that I would sing my solo next year. Therein lies the seed for the progression of our tale.
Later that year, my IB Language Literature Class sought to produce EF Academy Torbay’s first Shakespearean play of Hamlet. Many of the actors who participated in the play were ordinary students such as myself and you. However, they wanted to challenge themselves and be a part of something different within the school community. As none of them had acted before, especially not in front of a large audience, they all had difficulty establishing the mood for themselves during rehearsals. This is understandable, as it is a daunting task to imagine being on stage with hundreds of eyes staring daggers in your direction. The time hadn’t yet come to pass, one simply does not know how to gauge the reactions one would receive and that uncertainty holds people back. My personality and mindset by this time had shifted, perhaps because this was acting instead of singing. I’d always had a tendency of pretending I was in a movie whenever I was alone, and I felt comfortable acting on stage. You see, the thing with acting is that you become a character while the thing with singing is that you lay yourself bare, at least that’s how I feel.
This story kicks in with the departure of our actor of Hamlet, just two weeks before the actual show. The cast was thrown into a frenzy as we had lost our main actor but I managed to jump in as I had been a silent director and knew all the lines. For the duration of the two weeks, we worked hard as more misfortune struck. However, we were determined to keep the show going. Sword fight choreography, synchronization of PowerPoint, music, and acting, and creation of set pieces filled our free time. On the night of the show, even though we had seen so much disturbance from unforeseen obstacles, we performed the play as seamlessly as we could. As applause rose from the audience, you’d think I’d have been over the moon to jump in at the last minute as the main actor. But I wasn’t. Instead, I felt hollow. Immediately, I couldn’t remember the past two hours of which we had been performing. And this led me into a deeper pit, because I hadn’t solved anything for myself and I just felt like I was back at square one.
The last event occurred very recently, it was the EF Academy Torbay’s Got Talent. This was my time to redeem myself and sing my solo. However, I was extremely afraid at times leading up to the actual show. It’s funny because after Hamlet, you’d also think that my stage fright would have vanished. But it was still there, waiting and mocking me. I decided to force myself to stay in the show. Immediately after the performance, I felt terrible as I started to pick out on all the mistakes I had made. However, a few days after, I started to feel better. Proud, even, that I did it and didn’t shy away from the challenge like I had done so many times before. When it’s early days and you’re stuck in your own head, it doesn’t really occur to you that you’re blowing things out of proportion. Life is all about random events constantly colliding with each other in an absurd fashion. The secret probably is that you shouldn’t take life too seriously, you just have to have fun and do what makes you happy. It’s a boring cliche and some people still don’t realize it, no matter how many times they’ve been told. But it does hold true, you just have to be honest with yourself.
 
 
Written by Eugene Tan, EF Academy Torbay IB Year 2 student from Malaysia.

The culmination of weeks and months of practice and rehearsals hinge delicately on a single, fateful night.

Lights, camera, action! Cue: stage fright - EF Academy Blog

Lights, camera, action! Cue: stage fright ‹ EF Academy Blog

Lights, camera, action! Cue: stage fright

Lights camera action cue stage fright

Wise people would say that the most effective way to cut down a tree using an axe in a specified amount of time is to spend most of the time sharpening their axe. This makes felling the tree an easier, less time-consuming task. Makes sense, right? 
It’s easy enough to follow through with a task when you have tangible tools and a physical task to overcome. But, how does this translate to more complicated and nuanced activities in our modern, urban life?
Back when I was studying at <a href="https://www.efacademy.org/torbay/">EF Academy Torbay</a>, struggling to meet the demands of the IB, I used to read articles such as this one to find useful insights into coping with it all. Much of what I found was just like the tree-cutting example: seemingly smart and comprehensive yet altogether unnavigable. In reality, trying to manage simultaneous tasks often spawns more new tasks quicker than it takes to complete them. I wasn’t perfect at managing it all back then, and even now I still struggle at times, but I have picked up a few tips for keeping on top of it all.
<h3>Tip 1: Preparation is everything</h3>
By preparation, I don’t necessarily mean planning. I mean mental preparation and changing your mindset about your work. Whenever the prospect of a hectic term begins to creep up on me, I mentally prepare myself for the oncoming onslaught of work. I remind myself of my intentions for taking it all on in the first place and come to terms with the possibility that things might not go my way.
Maybe this is a form of mindfulness practice or meditation, or maybe I’m just allowing myself the space to work and experience new things without the fear of failure. Whatever it is, ever since I started doing it, I don’t feel the pressure of all my work as much as I used to, and it helps with clearing my head just enough so that I’m able to tackle all the tasks I have before me.
<h3>Tip 2: Keep yourself organized</h3>
Studying full-time, having three part-time jobs, four roles on society committees, going hiking at least once a week, being ‘flat-dad’, writing a novel, managing a website and blog, trying to be healthy, and carving out time to spend with friends is tough. Tasks can fall through the cracks and cause you to fall behind with important work. Your organization system can be systematic or chaotic, but if you know where all your documents and work are, you’ll be able to ensure some form of efficiency. I personally keep an archive full of all my files meticulously organized and stored. I also go through all these folders whenever I have time to ensure that I haven’t missed out on anything. Don’t even get me started on my wall-planner and calendars I have synced up across my phone, laptop, and watch.
<h3>Tip 3: Make lists</h3>
When I was at EF Academy, we’d receive a notebook planner where we’d be able to note down our work. I remember using it for maybe a couple of months but then being too lazy to keep up with it. Now I’m at university, having my planner around with me ensures that I don’t forget my tasks because I can see it in writing rather than as just thoughts in my head. It also helps me keep track of my progress. After all, what feels better than looking through the pages at the end of the year and surprising yourself with how much you’ve achieved?
These are just a few simple tips, but I truly believe mentally preparing yourself for your work and changing your mindset works wonders. The biggest lesson I’ve learnt from my hectic life is that being present in all my work and living through struggles helped me progress. You don’t have to be the best at everything you do; none of us are perfect. We live and learn all the time to orient ourselves. You just have to be present and do the best you can (and not forget to take care of yourself).

Managing lots of tasks can spawn more new tasks quicker than it takes to complete them, but I have picked up a few tips for keeping on top of it all.

Fitting life into a day, every day: advice for keeping on top of your tasks - EF Academy Blog

Fitting life into a day, every day: advice for keeping on top of your tasks ‹ EF Academy Blog

Fitting life into a day, every day: advice for keeping on top of your tasks

Keeping on top of your tasks

Seeing as how I will be moving onto university soon, I’ve decided to revisit my reasons behind choosing where to study to help you decide where to go. Since I know the UK and US best and these are the ones that most people choose to study in, I will only concentrate on these. I’ve also only studied in the UK and not the US,  so I have recruited the help of two friends, one American university student and one Norwegian student who studied at <a href="https://www.ef.com/academy/campuses/new-york/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EF Academy New York</a> last year, to help with the comparisons.
People
No matter where we go, I believe that the one factor which could make or break an experience abroad are the locals. You can go somewhere unconventional and still have the best time of your life if you’re surrounded by friendly people, whom you are able to connect with. Alternatively, you could go to your dream country and possibly have a less-than-memorable time if you find it hard to assimilate with the population. This is why it’s crucial to keep in mind the stereotypical personality of a country before going to study there then. Americans are usually more open and easier to approach, which leads to making new friends less daunting. They also tend to be more outspoken and will let you know what’s on their mind, so if you have a thick skin and do not mind being directly addressed, this could be for you. On the other side of the pond, however, the English tend to be more reserved and reclusive. Though, this might be a North-Western European personality trait more than anything else – just don’t feel too bad if that cute guy or girl on the bus ignores you.
Geography
Personally, I am an avid traveler with an affinity for exploring my surroundings. Traveling helps me cope with stress, keeps me fresh on my toes by experiencing new ways of lives and gets me inspired me. So, a country’s geography is an important factor for me, and if it isn’t for you, you should definitely give it a second thought. Since you’re already spending a lot of money traveling to a different country to study, why not explore your surroundings as well? You don’t know when you will return to this place in the future and you don’t want to look back on your time abroad with any regrets. If you’re someone who prefers scientifically -proven claims, there are tons of research as well which shows that traveling can have a profoundly positive effect on our human psychology, so what’re you waiting for? America is famed for its huge geographical land mass, all of which exude their own unique personalities – from the bustling East Coast to the relaxing West Coast, why not discover for yourself which you prefer? Here in England, the country is smaller so you’re limited in where you can travel nationally compared to America. However, there are still many wonders and England is a gateway to the rest of Europe by flight or train, so rest assured.
Place
A year ago, I asked my friends if they preferred big cities or small towns and I got a mixed bag of responses. What had started as a random topic snowballed into something larger than a “cat or dog person?” debate. In the end, we concluded that the actual place is an important topic to consider even if you don’t consciously think about it all the time. Are you someone who loves big cities or small towns? Of course, it depends on which state you live in but most probably if you study in America, you’re going to stay somewhere within range of a huge city. That means traffic, pricier standards of living, hectic lifestyles, but also more things to do such as art galleries, live shows, tours, etc. In England, there are some large cities like London, Manchester, and Birmingham, but it’s ruled by small towns and quaint English villages. Expect more quality time with yourself and a tight-knit group of friends, and maybe a few cups of tea along the way.
Language
In our global world, being multilingual is definitely an advantage. Speaking different languages can help you immerse into a foreign country, or boost your likelihood of getting certain jobs after graduating. So, if you’re already planning a gazillion years into your future, this may be an important factor for you in choosing where to study. In America, we all know the stereotype of Americans only speaking a single language. Well, English is generally the rule of thumb in public America, with Spanish cropping up sometimes. But America is an international hub, so it is bound to have other languages hiding about. Always take these stereotypes with a grain of salt, because people are constantly changing as they have the capacity to grow and learn, just like you and I. In England, English is spoken the most as well, but many languages across the world pop up since it’s a European hub. No matter where you live, even if it’s a small town in the middle of nowhere, you could be waiting in line for a kebab one night and hear English, German, Russian, Mandarin, and Arabic flying about in lyrical unison.
Education System
I’ve never studied in America before, but I have studied in a school following the American education system once before for two years. From what I understand and my friends agree, the main difference between these two countries in their approach to education systems are their disciplines. The American education system believes in a broad scope of knowledge, so they teach about a lot of different subjects. In addition to this, they have regular testing and coursework which adds up to your grade point average (GPA) to keep you on your feet at all times. In England, things are different because you start specializing in your field early on. If you’re not very sure of what you want to do with your life, you might struggle a little here because you wouldn’t have as much freedom to wriggle around and test the waters. Exams are also usually in the form of cumulative exams, which may mean more stress for some people depending on your individual preference and method of learning. Whichever way you learn though, there’s always a place for you somewhere out there. If not, don’t worry, we’re going to Mars pretty soon.
 
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Whether you dream of studying in the UK or the US, EF Academy international boarding schools provide a thorough education abroad, an inspirational environment, and a future that knows no borders.

Since I know the UK and US best and these are the ones that most people choose to study in, I will only concentrate on these.

UK vs. US: Where to study - EF Academy Blog

UK vs. US: Where to study ‹ EF Academy Blog

UK vs. US: Where to study

Uk vs us study

So, you’ve decided that you want to study at EF Academy, but you’re torn over which campus to attend. You’re drawn to the concrete jungles of New York, enchanted by the history of Oxford, and mesmerized by the beaches of Torbay.
In this article, I’ll bring you on a 24-hour tour of Torbay. This small town deserves so much more credit than people give it. I’ve been living here for almost a year and a half now, and yet this quirky town still surprises me every week. It’s been the best year of my life and I’ve no doubt that I’ll miss this place. I’ve also no doubt that it’ll serve you well as your new home.
9:00 am: You’ll want to wake up as early as you can in order to get the most out of your day. Just as well, our little adventure requires you to have plenty of energy and a full stomach. So our first stop for breakfast will be none other than Brody’s, a breakfast bar hidden away in a nook of the main street.
This breakfast bar serves your usual English breakfast, but is famous for their waffles and pancake buffet, fully equipped with all your favorite syrups and sauces. Now, how’s that for a small town?
10:00 am: Once you’ve filled up and are ready for action, our first stop will be Living Coasts down at the harbor. Living Coasts is a zoo home to various fishes, birds, coastal animals, and penguins. Yes, we have a penguin zoo in Torbay. As I said, this place is crazy. Granted, they’re Macaroni penguins and African penguins but still. Penguins. The best part? The penguins, birds, and ducks are free-roaming, so sometimes they’ll come onto the walkways as well to have some fun with you.
I’ve been here twice now, the first time with my family during my first day in Torbay and the second time with friends to shoot an environmental documentary. Both visits were a delight and if you’re into ecology or animal conservation, strike up a chat with the workers here who are passionate about their job to keep these animals and our environment safe.
12:00 pm: Next up, we’ll take a nice, scenic walk across Torquay Harbor to get to Torre Abbey Sands Beach and Corbyn Head Beach which are located next to each other. If the water’s too cold, a relaxing stroll along the beach is just as beautiful. If you visit in June, this is where you’ll have the best view of the Torbay Airshow as well! Though, you’ll probably want to invest in a good pair of earmuffs as many of the fighter jets blasting through the air might even blast your eardrums if you’re not careful.
This is an amazing experience that you wouldn’t want to miss, and it’s even for free. If you’re not a fan of beaches, Torbay is also home to lush parks. One such park is Cockington Country Park. I personally have not been here but many of my friends have and have vouched for its beauty. Advice from them is to stop by here for some traditional English cream tea.
1:00 pm: After all this walking, lunch is probably on your mind. Since we’re at the seaside, what’s more suitable than some classic English fish and chips? Rock Fish, which overlooks the harbor, serves up amazing food as well as a view. The fish served here is freshly and sustainably caught, so you’re guaranteed to enjoy your meal.
3:00 pm: Our afternoon will be spent in the Babbacombe region of Torbay. A little further from the main city center, this area is full of adventure. We’ll first be heading to Babbacombe Model Village. This is a sort of amusement park with miniature-sized cities and towns, perfect for your Instagram modeling life and pretending you’re a giant. It includes medieval towns, modern cities, picturesque countryside and a lot more.
After this, we’ll head over to Kents Cavern, a prehistoric cave system. Kents Cavern is known for being one of the oldest and warmest caves in Britain, even Europe for that matter! If you look on their website, they even have special events in the caves for tourists. Last year, our school came here to watch an interactive play of Romeo & Juliet in the caves, many calling it a brilliant experience. Actors and actresses of the play would lead us around the caves as they reenact Shakespeare’s tragedy, even bringing students into the fray on some occasions.
6:00 pm: Before we end our day with dinner, we’ll head over to Babbacombe beach to watch the sunset. If you’re feeling a little peckish, there are a variety of cafes here where you can have tea and a small sandwich to go along with the view.
7:30 pm: Finally for dinner, we’ll go out with a blast with the best restaurants in Torbay along the seafront. You can choose from British, French, Mediterranean, Asian, Italian, Mexican and more. And there we go, our little adventure around Torbay for 24 hours comes to a close.
Of course, there’s still so much more to see and do, even opportunities to travel to neighboring towns and cities such as Exeter, Bristol, and Plymouth. But this is the essence of what life is like for a student studying at EF Academy Torbay, or what awaits them, if only they get out there and live it for themselves.
 
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At EF Academy’s private boarding school in Torquay, in the borough of Torbay, our campus extends beyond the classrooms and into the quiet town the school is nestled in. The community – made up of students, school staff and locals – has often been described as a family and you will feel very much at home in this encouraging learning environment.

Well, let me help you out by bringing you on a tour around Torbay for 24 hours. This small town deserves so much more credit than people give it.

24 hours in Torbay - EF Academy Blog

24 hours in Torbay ‹ EF Academy Blog

24 hours in Torbay

24 hours torbay

Peruse multiple IB forums online and you can come up with one definite conclusion: the IB is an extremely demanding and challenging course. However, if you’re new to the game- or you’re thinking of joining in but you’re having doubts- fear not, because myself and countless others have been where you are right now and we’re all still alive, albeit some of us more so than others.
It should be noted though, that at the end of the day, even with every single IB tip you manage to find, the only true way to “master” the IB, is to put in the work yourself. No tips can help you finish your Extended Essay and Internal Assessments, only you can. I myself am in the second year of the course and a lot of times, I don’t know what I’m doing.
But I’ve made it long enough without having to sacrifice my eight hours of sleep yet, so I must be doing something right. Hopefully, my tips will help ensure that you sail smoothly through two years of the IB and keep your sanity intact.
<h3>Make sure IB is right for you</h3>
The first tip is a short one but still important nonetheless. You should ensure that the IB is the right fit for you. It’s no use forcing yourself to do it if you have no interest in it whatsoever. The IB is an amazing course which will help you grow as a young adult and prepare you for life by arming you with a variety of skills. But if it isn’t for you, it just isn’t.
Don’t waste your time and energy forcing yourself into a mold that you don’t fit into. I know countless students who transferred from the IB to either the A-Levels or the Foundation Program and are happier because of it. There’s no shame in knowing that you learn differently from others and need a different approach to education. If you can wrap that idea around your head, you’re already ahead of the curve.
<h3>Pick your subjects well</h3>
Once you’ve established that the IB really is for you, congratulations, it’s time to pick your six subjects. This is a critical process which many take for granted. Some are forced by parents to pick specific subjects, some feel the need to forsake what they really want to do to please their parents, while others generally do not care. This shouldn’t be the case because it is your life and you’re the one who has to live with the consequences of these choices, and it’s a long life to live in regret and resentment. Now, I’m not saying that you should rebel against your parents, no.
What I’m saying is that you should have a candid conversation with your parents about what you really want to do, and show them how committed you are to it. One obstacle which you will face in life is having to stand up to someone you love, or fear, and communicating to them that yes, they may know what’s best for you in their eyes, but you know yourself best.
However, if you really don’t know what you want to do or you don’t care, don’t be afraid to switch around and try different subjects during the first two weeks of school. Just know that different university courses require you to take specific subjects at the IB. Which brings on the next point.
<h3>Diversify your activities</h3>
Now, one aspect of the IB which I find that many students struggle with is CAS (Creativity, Action, Service). And boy oh boy, am I a true guru in this field. The students who struggle with CAS are usually the ones who think of it as a chore. If you do as well, I suggest you change your mindset and think of it as what the IB’s intention of it is- an enriching curriculum which pushes students out of their comfort zone, challenging themselves in ways they would have never expected.
EF Academy is an amazing school for CAS, as it gives you plenty of opportunities to simply do things. In my one and a quarter years of the IB, I now have over 45 entries in my CAS portfolio with several ongoing CAS projects. You’re going to have a lot of free time during the first year of the IB, don’t waste it all by lazing around.
Engage yourself in different activities and maybe even start something up by yourself. For example, in my first year when I was racking my brain for a Service, I found a Dementia/Alzheimer’s Memory Cafe near town. So, every Saturday, my friends and I went there to volunteer. And, towards the end of the year, I even got to meet Prince Edward of England when he came to visit said Memory Cafe. Now, in my second year, many students join me on Saturdays as well and we’ve grown into a much larger volunteer group. Amazing things can happen, and the possibilities are endless, if only you put yourself out there.
<h3>Take care of yourself</h3>
And finally, for my last tip, do take care of yourself while doing the IB. Yes, your work and grades are important, but your well-being and safety are too. You should always find the time to talk to your parents, relax with your friends, spend some time on your own to recharge, and enjoy your hobbies on top of all your work. It is possible, trust me.
To master the IB is to juggle your work and still know when to go to sleep; to work hard hitting the books while still going to the gym or doing sports to take care of your body; to meet all your deadlines and still meet your own social and emotional needs. Although the IB is a demanding program, you shouldn’t neglect your own health and let it completely dictate your life.
<img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-9719" height="378" sizes="(max-width: 568px) 100vw, 568px" src="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/18216496_10154942280018153_1941963491065667182_o.jpg" srcset="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/18216496_10154942280018153_1941963491065667182_o.jpg 568w, https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/18216496_10154942280018153_1941963491065667182_o-300x200.jpg 300w" width="568">
 
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The International Baccalaureate® Diploma is a world-renowned qualification for students who seek a broad and challenging curriculum that helps them develop all the skills needed for success at university. Thanks to EF Academy’s unmatched internationalism, our students live the IB ethos every single day.

Peruse multiple IB forums online and you can come up with one definite conclusion: the IB is an extremely demanding and challenging course.

Mastering the IB with these simple tips - EF Academy Blog

Mastering the IB with these simple tips ‹ EF Academy Blog

Mastering the IB with these simple tips

Mastering ib simple tips

Let’s face it, we’ve all been there before. All those sleepless nights spent staring hopelessly at a blank page as the hands of time march toward an untimely deadline, boring in our heads the inescapable fact that we could soon be doomed. Whether it’s an essay, an assignment, a project, or something entirely different haunting you, there might also be temptation for you to just give up in the face of such insurmountable odds. When everyone else around you is projecting an image of success or confidence, it’s easy to feel alone and lose sight of the actual objective at hand. Your ego tricks you into thinking of life as a race because you’re falling behind everyone else, when really, the reality of the situation could be that the image curated by a peer is completed but bland. Whatever the case may be, you may have to accept the fact that you might not be able to get over your ego trip, yet. You just have to keep going until you make it.
I’ve myself recently been in a seemingly hopeless position with two of my IB assignments: my Extended Essay (EE) and Film Independent Study. For weeks or even months, I would find myself on the brink of a mental and emotional breakdown from the stresses of these two Goliaths. Many a times and oft during the past few months, I frequented the thought of giving up and eventually fell into a state of being where I was paralyzed by my responsibilities. However, I had the help of patient and loving people who gently guided me back on the right path. I understand that not everyone is as fortunate as I am in receiving support, so I hope that these tips will help you find your way back. I hope that these words can truly help in showing you how to not give up.
Adopt a “Not Yet” Mindset.
When people are in the pre-production stage of a large project or at the start of a learning course, there is a tendency to underestimate the amount of dedication and effort truly required. To this end, some people may feel overwhelmed by the reality of the situation when it finally dawns upon them that the project or course cannot be completed instantly. Since as humans, we love following paths of comfort and least resistance, we sometimes automatically fall into the rabbit hole thoughts of “I can’t do this” or “I’m never going to be able to do this.”
These thoughts may seem harmless, but they do sometimes act as mental blocks which demotivate you by inflating the task at hand into a beast. You unconsciously set yourself up for failure and inch closer to giving up. Whenever you catch your mind spiraling into this abyss, reel yourself back in and remember the words “not yet.” With some practice, those words of comfort will positively warp into “I can’t do this… yet” or “I’m never going to be able to do this… well, not yet” and help reassure you that with some more time and effort, you will be able to excel. Just don’t go overboard and say “not yet” to your teachers or boss as an excuse every time you have work to hand in, then you’re good to go.
Meadow fields
As mentioned earlier, one of the things that stopped me from giving up was the support of patient and loving people. In the face of insurmountable odds, some people like myself choose to focus obsessively at a task until we finally conquer it. However, this may sometimes also come at the expense of our emotional and social health, which is not a very good way to live. So, whenever things in life or school or work get out of hand, you’ll need the love and support of the people who will be there by your side no matter what. Whether that’s family, friends, teachers, or your community, allowing your mind to drift off into the meadow fields with these people will help you to regain some semblance of peace and serenity in your life, ensuring that you can come back to your work feeling refreshed.
Restart 
Sometimes, after we’ve spent so much time on a piece of work, everything turns blurry and we end up not being able to separate the weeds from the grass anymore. In times like these, it may be hard but the best thing to do could be to restart. It may seem counter-intuitive to completely restart from scratch when your progress has already been stagnant for so long, but this new start could be the breakthrough that you needed. Plus, there’s really nothing to lose at this point. Don’t delete the whole document of course, just create a new one and bring some of the most important points over to build back up better. Additionally, break down the task into smaller, more manageable bits to cover so you don’t get lost again, make a to-do list of the points you should cover. Learn from what you’ve already done and make it easier for yourself this time around, just like how you would do if you restarted a video game.
S.O.S.
Asking for help can be hard, no matter what it is we need help with. There’s just something about the act itself which makes most people feel silly doing, it’s as if there’s an inherent shame embedded within the word “help.” Even when we know that we should, even when it would make our lives so much more easier, a lot of people avoid it like a plague. Maybe it’s a fear that if we show our most vulnerable side to someone, the person can hurt us by making fun of us or rejecting our plead. Maybe it’s an ego game again where we don’t want to seem less than anyone else. I’m not sure why it is that we don’t always ask for help when we need it most. All I can say is to be more mindful of instances when you should, but don’t ask for help, and catch yourself out. Find out what’s stopping you (tip: it’s you, you’re the one stopping yourself). Other people want to help you, it may seem like they don’t when we’re suffering internally while everyone goes about their lives like nothing’s going on. However, that’s just it, no one can read our minds and help us out of thin air. We have to reach out for help, and help shall ye receive.
Do Your Best
Growing up, my mom would always drop me off to school every morning. During exam weeks, she would always hold me aside before I left and tell me, “don’t worry too much about the exams, just do your best.” This would be after she spent weeks making me study and worrying about my exams for me. Of course, at the age of 6 to 11, I didn’t care about my exams anyways. However, hearing that phrase 4-5 times a year for six years really etches itself into your psyche. Just do your best. I believe this phrase can be applied to every aspect of every single person’s life, especially in our competitive world. We constantly push to be the best in our field but there will always be someone somewhere who will be better than us. All we can do is to be the best version of ourselves everyday, to be better than the person we were yesterday, and do our best. When you’ve accepted this, perhaps you won’t feel pressured in life as much anymore, and will not be paralyzed by your responsibilities.
 
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Perseverance, dedication, enthusiasm – think you’re up for the challenge?

Let's face it, we've all been there before, but you're not alone. Here's some self-help advice on how to not give up from a student's perspective.

How to not give up: A student’s perspective - EF Academy Blog

How to not give up: A student’s perspective ‹ EF Academy Blog

How to not give up: A student’s perspective

Not give students perspective

My name is Eugene Tan and I was an IB student at EF Academy Torbay for two years. The culmination of my journey here was gradually marked in three stages: from examinations, to the leaver’s dinner, and graduation day. All of which, although separate events in themselves, were wholly intertwined to create one particularly long period of time filled with joyful stress and fleeting happiness.
At the start of the academic year, the school held our first ever whole-school sports day to usher in the idea of house competitions. This was the moment I made one of my biggest mistakes of the year: signing up for a 400m race without having the first clue about how far 400m was. Seeing as how I hadn’t gone for a run since my primary school days, it’s easy to see how the odds were not in my favor and why things went terribly. However, the night before the race, I had Googled how to run a 400m race to come up with a strategy for myself. Yes, this is what it had come to for me.
From my research, I came upon a single piece of advice which has been lingering in my mind ever since. The advice was that in the final 50m of the race, even when my entire body felt like it was on fire, that I should ignore the stop signs in my head and push on to the finish line. I didn’t do that. In terms of graduation season though, the final exams were the equivalent to this final 50m stretch. The completion of which meant that during graduation day, all of us who pushed on despite the gnawing sensations within our mind, was to win first place together unequivocally. This year has been a long and tough one, yet we all pushed on in this final race to graduation and made it.
The leaver’s dinner, a teaser for the main course to come on the next day, provided a more personal touch for the upper-school graduates. Parents from around the globe journeyed down to Torbay, off to the Imperial Hotel with its stunning sea-view balcony, to meet the people their children had grown to love during their time at EF Academy. Inside jokes also bounced about the room as student secrets were exposed one last time before the end, such as a certain A-Level student farting during an examination. Such was the comedic, open environment we had all come together to establish during our time as students.
On the other hand, graduation day was a grand, celebratory event which saw various students showcasing their talents in an epic finale, closing this academic year with all-around memorable performances. The three main performances were of the top three students from the winter EF Talent Show, two pianists and a singer, all of whom effortlessly seized immediate control of the hall when they started their performance. Yet, they were truly just warming audiences up for the year of 2018’s valedictorian speaker, Sarah Veloso, whose strong three-year run at EF Academy Torbay from non-English speaker to fluent-English speaker with an unconditional university offer, would serve as inspiration for students from any circumstance or walk-of-life.
Slowly but surely, myself and countless other graduates were called on stage for our hat-throwing ceremony. As time was being counted down by unknown voices in the distance, pen-battered calluses gripped these foreign graduation hats, fatefully awaiting the number zero. When it finally came, a thunderous roar and applause erupted from the hall, signaling the end of our high-school journey.
Even now, one week on from graduation day, where I am volunteering on a farm in countryside Norway, the realization of such a colossal ending hasn’t completely registered yet. Though it seems surreal, thinking of that final 50m stretch fills me with more sense of fulfillment than any celebratory event ever would. Those final weeks of struggle with my friends, the pinnacle of the effort we had used in dragging each other up to the finish line together throughout various stages of the year, is what will stay with me the rest of my life. This isn’t a story of a person or a single day, this is a story of a collective effort by the Class of 2018, of the whole school these past two years.
I am Eugene Tan, and I am one part in a huge family known as EF Academy Torbay. Signing out.

My name is Eugene Tan and I was an IB student at EF Academy Torbay for two years. The culmination of my journey here was gradually marked in three stages: from examinations, to the leaver’s dinner, and graduation day. All of which, although separate events in themselves, were wholly intertwined to create one particularly long …

A cumulative journey – celebrating EF Academy’s class of 2018 - EF Academy Blog

A cumulative journey – celebrating EF Academy’s class of 2018 ‹ EF Academy Blog

A cumulative journey – celebrating EF Academy’s class of 2018

Cumulative journey celebrating ef academys class 2018

Originally published February 15th, 2018
As snow begins to melt (at least in some places) under exposure to slim slivers of sunlight through partially parted clouds, most of us students are aware that our exams are upon us.
With the face of Spring and soon Summer rearing its head towards us once more, so will our final exams. With most mock exams done and dusted, you may be tempted to enjoy what little sun is out and enjoy life before panicking all over again in a few measly months. That’s fine and you deserve it, but don’t relax too much during this calm before the storm, don’t mistake those rumbles of thunder for hyped-up techno.
I’m here to make sure that you don’t need to stress out too much before your finals with eight simple revision tips.
<h3>1. Cheat sheet</h3>
No, this tip isn’t gonna help you cheat in your exams. Instead, this is something that I’ve always done but only recently discovered that not many others do, yet is actually beneficial to all students. It’s easy too.
The holy grail of cheat sheets is to actually just pay attention in class and engage with the material while you’re learning it. This could be making some fast classroom notes about what you think about the chapter you’re learning, asking your teachers questions, or speaking to the teacher and classroom in general about subjects related to what you are learning in that moment.
This makes the classroom more lively, as opposed to the passive aspect of learning. Just be careful not to overdo it and come off as a know-it-all or disrupt the class. No one likes that.
<h3>2. Classroom chatter</h3>
Picture this, you’re in a class or a lecture with your friends and your teacher is up at the board drawing diagrams and formulas. Now, I’m a student too, I know we all want to just talk to our friends sometimes while in class.
But as a revision tip, when you’re <a href="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/efacademynews/10-benefits-small-class-sizes/">in the classroom</a>, instead of talking to your friends about what you feel like eating, talk to them about what you’re learning or what comes to mind when thinking about your course material. This is somewhat connected to the first tip in that it helps you engage with your material.
I stress this point because engaging with your material while in class can help make a difference in stress levels come time for the exam. You’ll be able to reflect back on your class time and remember so much more as opposed to when a class is dull and unimpressionable.
I guarantee you, these first two tips, when done right, can help strike a chord and save your grades when you’re sitting desperately in the exam hall, racking your brain trying to remember anything at all from class.
<h3>3. Be a thinker</h3>
When outside of class, be sure to make personal and summary notes using your classroom notes as well as your own conclusions that are drawn from your reflection of classroom material. These thoughts can help you make connections between what you’re learning, as well as help you formulate ideas for your essays as it keeps you thinking.
Additionally, when you’re making notes, try using different colored pens to make everything organized and pleasing to look at. If you’re artistically inclined, you could also draw diagrams and mind maps that might help you remember information more thoroughly.
<h3>4. Get in the zone</h3>
As you’re revising your notes or working, do so in environments that get you in your zone. If you’re new to the game of learning, try going to quiet spaces such as libraries or comfortable cafes with proper chairs and tables. Listen to binaural beats or classical music of your taste to get your mind in the right headspace. Order a warm green tea latte or something else that’s mild that will help you with your concentration.
Whenever you’re reading through your notes, have a pad of writing paper next to you and keep writing every once in a while to stimulate your mind. Don’t be passive by only reading, make notes about your notes and be active in the <a href="https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/efacademynews/skills-for-success/">learning and thinking process</a>.
<h3>5. Tutor others</h3>
Whenever you have some free time outside of class, help tutor your friends who may be struggling in subjects. This is great because it can double for your CAS (Creativity, Action, Service) if you’re an IB student or your service if you do the Duke of Edinburgh program. All while reinforcing what you’ve already known and learned.
Whenever you teach others, you help to see more links between the subject material as you collaborate. This ensures that you see problems from another student’s perspective as it brings you more content thought, and helps you think of solutions outside of the box as these new problems help you to break the mold. Sometimes, this experience is gold as you become more aware of common problems to remedy or revise up on.
<h3>6. Work your body</h3>
Aside from studying, you should also take care of your mind and body. Be sure to catch up on sleep whenever you can, especially during exam seasons as you don’t want to accidentally doze off while sitting for an exam or have memory impairment from sleep deprivation. You shouldn’t neglect your physical health either. Make sure to hit the gym at least once a week for a good workout or go jogging on the weekends.
If you need motivation, maybe join a sports club in school. Or, if you’re not someone who’s particularly sporty or social, maybe go for a long walk in the park to get some exercise and fresh air, or try yoga. A great student is one who balances their studies, social life, sleep, and physical health in their own way. Sure, you may have seen pictures online where you have to choose two of three – sleep, social life, grades – but there are ways where you can have all three.
You just have to strategize it properly.
<h3>7. Past papers</h3>
Ah, the dreaded exercise that jolts you into the realization that yes, you’ve covered almost everything in your course and the exams really are on their way.
If you haven’t been working right for the duration of your course, this is when it dawns on you that you’re frankly in big trouble. There’s nothing more stressful than looking at past papers and realizing that you know nothing and you don’t know where to start anymore. Some people feel like giving up here and they do. However, others stand up in this mess and get their life back together while it’s not too late.
Use past papers as a guide that points out specific subject areas that you don’t understand and hit the books, as well as ask your teachers for help. Or, if you’re too shy to do that, ask your friends to help tutor you. Don’t just give up, never just give up.
<h3>8. Treat yourself</h3>
At the end of the week, after all your hard work, always be sure to treat yourself.
Watch a movie at the cinema, read a good book in your spot, get down with your passionate hobby, maybe indulge yourself in your favorite video game with friends for an hour or two. The tip here is to make sure that you don’t let your studies turn you into a lifeless zombie, but also make sure that you don’t relax so much that you get thrown off kilter.
Listen to the wise words of Aristotle’s philosophy, The Golden Mean – never do anything too much or too little. Find your golden mean and stick with it, that’s when you’ll start to thrive and flourish.
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Written by Eugene Tan, 
Malaysian IB student in <a href="https://www.efacademy.com/torbay/">EF Academy Torbay</a>‘s Class of 2018.

Just as well, I’m here to make sure that you don’t need to stress out too much before your finals with 8 simple revision tips.

The 8 steps of revision: From desperation to liberation - EF Academy Blog

The 8 steps of revision: From desperation to liberation ‹ EF Academy Blog

The 8 steps of revision: From desperation to liberation

8 steps revision desperation liberation

Eugene Tan, current student at EF Academy Torbay, sat down with one of our alumni, Salomon Lupo from Italy, to see what he’s been up to since graduating high school. Here’s his story: 
Full name: Salomon Lupo
Age: 22 years old
Home country: Italy
Languages: English, Italian, and a little French
EF Academy campus: Old New York campus in Tarrytown
Program: International Baccalaureate Diploma
Grad year: 2013
Favorite club: Musical Club, Drama Club, and Soccer Club
Favorite subject: Physics Honors Level
University: University of Virginia, McGill University, London School of Economics
 
Why did you decide to attend EF Academy?
I came from a small island so I felt that going to a boarding school would be the perfect opportunity to broaden my horizons. Just as well, it was a chance for me to learn English along with students from 50 other nationalities in New York and I loved that. It felt like a lot of us were in the same boat, literally and figuratively, because we were embarking on a new chapter in our lives together, away from home, learning a new language.
What is your favorite EF Academy memory?
It would have to be graduation, because it definitely felt like we were in the movies when we threw our graduation caps into the air. You look back at old photos and everyone’s looking up at the ceiling, reaching out for their caps and everyone was generally happy. I still get goosebumps when I look at those photos, especially since we were doing the IB, surviving that felt amazing.
What did you find exciting and challenging about the IB program? 
The most exciting part about doing the IB is that I got to meet so many other students through doing the course. However, I did find one aspect of the IB program challenging and it was that lot of unnecessary pressure was put on CAS (Creativity, Action, and Service) which was a little stressful at times.
What advice do you have for current students? 
Don’t stress too much about your IAs (Independent Assessments) and EE (Extended Essay) because I know that it didn’t make as much of a difference for me, but don’t slack off either. Plus, make connections through internships and project collaborations, put yourself out there and be entrepreneurial.
How did you choose your university and your program? 
I applied to many different schools because I wanted to keep my options open, this was the same for my program as well because I chose a generic program to open up doors for my future. I first went to the University of Virginia for a year then I transferred to McGill University in Montreal. I graduated there with a major in Mathematics and a minor in Management. Now, I am studying Quantitative Methods for Risk Management at the London School of Economics (LSE).
What is one thing you learned at EF Academy that prepared you for university? For your career? For your personal life? 
Well, I know for a fact that I never studied as hard as I did when I was studying the IB. Coming from the IB, university was much easier and I feel that I wouldn’t be here at LSE right now if it weren’t for the work ethic I attained from doing the IB.
What is the accomplishment you are most proud of? 
Going to America alone at the age of 15 and learning and mastering an entirely new, foreign language was definitely my greatest accomplishment because I thrived in the environment even though the circumstances weren’t favorable to me. I will always be proud of myself for deciding to do that. 
What is your dream for your future? 
I’ve always wanted to start my own business and create something innovative but for now, I want to find a job that is in finance or banking to gain experience and industry insight.

Salomon Lupo, an alumni from EF Academy, offers some advice after having graduated from our private boarding school.

Advice from alumni: Salomon Lupo - EF Academy Blog

Advice from alumni: Salomon Lupo ‹ EF Academy Blog

Advice from alumni: Salomon Lupo

Advice alumni salomon lupo

For many of us at EF Academy Torbay, we’ve marked the ending of another chapter of our lives. For myself and several other friends, we’ve completed all of our IB exams, while a handful of A-Level students are studying in earnest, preparing for their exams with the free reign of their study leave.
Over the last few weeks, many of us left the place that we’ve called home for the past two years. Some of us may never actually be able to meet again as we embark on new, separate paths. This world of ours is small though, I have every faith that we’ll meet again one day.
In the meantime, a time capsule would be able to hold our most treasured memories of our time here. Even when the days shuffle and change. Along with the faces of each intake, our memories will always be etched in some space and time.
If memory should fail, I hope you who stumbles upon this time capsule will be filled with our joy. Whether in a day, or a year, five years or beyond from now.
<h3>Skern Lodge</h3>
The first entirely school activity during my first year at EF Academy Torbay (2017) was the PG version of Fresher’s Week. Skern Lodge was where we had outdoor activities instead of clubs, drinks substituted with fruit punch, and although we all had fun, we woke up each day more tired than the one before. One important aspect is that Skern Lodge, like many university Fresher Weeks, helped almost every student establish friendships that would see them through their time at school.
Many of the best friends I made at my time here was owed to this trip to Skern Lodge and I will always be grateful for those tunneling, flying foxing, and surfing opportunities which pushed all of us to trust one another, and become friends.
I think that the genius behind the event was that the fear many of us felt from living alone was given a physical manifestation in the form of parkour courses, darkness in the tunnels, great heights while rock climbing, and more. Having witnessed these frightful foes and conquering them alongside our teams who cheered us on, a sense of success and bravery permeated throughout the students who bonded over brilliant bonfires at night. Before any of us knew the wiser, we’d somehow, almost effortlessly, created friendships with which we would share endless moments of laughter, tears, and even near insanity from encroaching deadlines.
This was the magic of Skern Lodge and I will always remember it.
<h3>Haytor Science Trip</h3>
While upper-school physics students and other, upper-school non-science faculty students were enjoying London in the spring of 2017, all of us environmental, biology, and chemistry students were brought to Haytor in Dartmoor for a science expedition.
I promise you, those two words may pale in comparison to London, but I would’ve still chosen to go to Haytor with my friends over going on a short trip to London in a heartbeat. The days we spent here were filled with discovery and environmental expeditions. It was only missing a camera crew to be the next National Geographic-hit documentary. In those three short days, we managed to employ the skills and knowledge we’d gained throughout the school year into practical application. We tested levels of air and water pollution in the area using a variety of methods, established biodiversity readings from observable plantlife, discussed the ethics, problems, and possible solutions to environmental issues faced by the conservation sites we’d visited, and more.
After our dinners, we would have cozy campfires under clear skies with beckoning stars alongside the sheepish calling of animals around us. On one particularly beautiful evening, we’d gone for a walk through the woods with our school’s biology teacher and came upon a stream enclosed by huge oaks. I decided to stay back in this site with some friends as we melancholically enjoyed the moment, the knowledge that we’d soon be leaving for the summer weighing in the back of all our minds.
Innocent and childish fun, laughter, and pinecone wars soon ensued. Coming back to nature at the end of the school year, our journey had come full circle from our trip to Skern Lodge at the start of the year. Many of us have come a long way in these few months. I know I did.
<h3>Islands Challenge</h3>
The school year of 2018’s first attempt at bringing students together, the Islands Challenge was a house competition (a then newly implemented system) similar to a simulation game. Students in their houses would have to compete with the other 3 houses to build, sustain, and manage an island through a variety of student roles.
For myself, I had signed up to be part of the government for my house’s island and somehow became president of the island for over 120 years, don’t ask me how. Going a little mad with power, I abused my autocratic authority on the second day of the challenge to usher my 70-80 odd housemates onto the stage with me during a dance competition to dance the Macarena without music. If we were going down, we would go down together as a house (spoiler alert: we won the overall house competition at the end of the year. So, yeah. Saltern rules). It was a truly phenomenal experience, embarrassing ourselves as we laughed our way off the stage.
But it offered many moments of reflection as well. It was an emotional journey for many students who learned of the harsh realities of life through the challenge as their island, and all the work they’d put into it was destroyed. The destruction symbolized how fragile our world truly is, as the political, environmental, economic, and societal climate of the world outside our school escalated with each passing month and tweet.
As of the writing of this time capsule, the Doomsday Clock from the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists was pointing to 2 minutes to midnight. That’s pretty scary. But gathered in this school were almost 320 vessels of hope from every corner of the globe.
It’s common practice to dig up a time capsule after a few years, and I believe that in a few years time when I dig this time capsule up, everyone I know from Torbay will have accomplished so much in life. Some may have even played a role in soothing some of the current challenges of the world.
<h3>Leaver’s Dinner</h3>
The eve of many senior students’ departure from Torbay, we held a Leaver’s Dinner. A bittersweet moment for all of us. Old friends and families met and mingled, combining each student’s two worlds as the family they were given were introduced to the family they had made.
It was a busy day of flashing photographs clicking and snapping the night away, capturing every essence of this fleeting moment. In a few hours, graduation was to be upon us. In a few hours, taxis, coaches, trains, and planes were to depart from this small town. In a few hours, another chapter of our journey would come to a close. In a few hours, a new chapter begins.
<h4 style="text-align: center;">“Sometimes, rather than comparing ourselves to someone else, or criticizing something, why don’t we just enjoy it?”</h4>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">– Kevin Syahlintang, 2018 Most Outstanding Upper School Student</h4>

If memory should fail, I hope you who stumbles upon this time capsule will be filled with our joy. Whether in a day, a year, or five years from now.

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