Class of 2020: “I Hope to Become a Successful Writer-Director”

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This year, COVID-19 has turned the world upside down, and for high school seniors, these students experienced a senior year unlike any we’ve ever seen before. But life goes on and despite the chaos, COVID-19 has caused, students at international schools all over Beijing are graduating in good spirits and high hopes for the future. Congratulations to the Class of 2020!

Meet Benjamin L., a recent graduate from Beijing World Youth Academy (BWYA).

I’ll be studying at Emerson College majoring in Media Arts Production with a specific concentration in Video Production. I decided to go to Emerson College, for I aspire to be a professional filmmaker in the future, and I believe that Emerson’s top-tier film program will help me become a more artistically-inspired writer-director.

The teaching and learning style at BWYA can be summarized as very eclectic. Not only do our teachers introduce concepts from a variety of cultures and backgrounds, but they also provide us with the means of understanding the context and implications of these ideas. Moreover, our teachers encourage us to approach new topics from a variety of angles, allowing us to develop a multifaceted perception of the world around us. On the other hand, the style of learning at BWYA is rigorous, for many students hold themselves to a very high standard and consistently try to improve their academic performance across all subject areas. Nevertheless, our learning process at BWYA is not solely confined to the classroom, since we can often engage in a variety of activities at school (and beyond) that supplement our knowledge and understanding, enabling us, as learners, to become more versatile.

My biggest non-academic learning experience at BWYA has been in the field of the Arts. Although we did have Arts classes, such as Music, Visual Art, and Drama/Theatre, the main focus of these curricula was to expand our knowledge and evaluate our level of commitment. As a result, in order to develop my creativity and artistic taste, I participated in extracurricular activities such as The Lupine Prize and the annual school play, in which I was able to gain much insight into the intricacies of acting and performance as a whole. This contributed greatly to my endeavors in other fields, especially in relation to my interest in filmmaking. Thus, through my involvement in artistic projects at BWYA, I have been able to cultivate a stronger sense of creativity and grow as a more well-rounded person.

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To me, the school motto of Locally Grounded, Globally Aware reflects a prevailing spirit at BWYA: to preserve our ties with the communities around us, while also widening our perspectives to encompass the entire world. Through our participation in SA and CAS projects, we are actively engaged in our local community, which enables us to establish a strong connection with our living environment. At the same time, our curriculum at BWYA also encourages us to examine a range of different cultures and societies, thus helping us to become aware of the diversity that exists within our world.

My advice to lower year students is to make the best of your time at school and to continually push yourselves so that you can become aware of your limits and strive to reach your full potential. That being said, it’s also important to prioritize certain aspects of your academics, along with other parts of your life, because there really isn’t enough time during DP for someone to perform exceptionally well at every single thing. So make sure that you only spend your time and energy on what’s really important to you, as this will reduce a lot of the pressure during DP, but it would also help you to concentrate your efforts, allowing you to achieve well in the areas that matter the most.

I think getting involved in clubs and extra-curricular activities definitely helped me identify my own interests and characteristics, which I later referred to in various parts of my application materials (such as the Common App essay). However, I don’t think these activities played an essential role when it comes to distinguishing myself from other applicants since many applicants (especially those applying to a major in the Arts) would likely have participated in similar activities. Nevertheless, these activities did provide me with a better sense of my own identity, which is one of the key things that an admissions officer looks for.

I took part in WTS & Forensics mainly because I wanted to develop my artistic sensibility, along with my grasp of technical skills, during my time in DP. Another thing that drew me to these activities was the collaboration involved. As DP is very intensive in relation to academics, there are few opportunities for students to collaborate on large projects inside the classroom. As a result, WTS and Forensics provided me with the chance to continue working together with my peers, while also maintaining my connection with the school community.

I hope to become a successful writer-director (maybe producer) in the film/TV industry, for this would enable me to continue my pursuit of the cinematic arts, a field that never fails to fascinate me.

I found my passion for filmmaking during my earlier childhood when I felt the urge to present my own stories on-screen after watching several documentaries. Despite this, BWYA provided me with the means of actualizing my passion for filmmaking. As early as Grade 6, I was able to learn the basics of video editing from my classmates and teachers, after which I managed to expand my knowledge and skillset through continued experimentation with various video-editing software. There were also several assignments during MYP that required us to produce videos, which provided me with the opportunity to improve my skill at screenwriting, directing, cinematography, and editing.

What I’ll miss the most about BWYA are my teachers because I really enjoyed the lively discussions in all of their classes. I will also miss my friends, many of whom I will no longer meet on a regular basis (which is already the case).

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Photos: Benjamin L., The Princeton Review, Unsplash

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