Class of 2020: “They Saw Me Grow as an Artist and a Person”

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 Dayeon H. from South Korea, a recent graduate of Beijing City International School (BCIS)‘s class of 2020.

Dayeon H

I’ll be attending SAIC, School of Arts Institute of Chicago majoring in visual arts and design. It’s something I’ve wanted to do ever since I was young.

SAIC, School of Arts Institute of Chicago

One of my favorite memories from high school was Week Without Walls (WWW) in Grade 11. I am a very introverted person, and I take as long as possible to make friends that I feel comfortable around. During WWW, I thought that the friends in my grades are the ones that I genuinely feel comfortable with so I could really enjoy the trip. I also thought that everyone was having a good time since it was the last WWW for all of us. I can’t ever forget the atmosphere of Sichun last autumn.

My school has helped me shape who I am today.  I spent my entire middle and high school years at BCIS, which I believe is the most crucial character-building time in a person’s life. I think I was lucky to spend these years at an international school so I could grow up around people from different cultures, which helped me to mature into an open-minded person.

One of the strategies that I learned that will help me in college is that I found it very useful and effective to make a thorough study schedule. I found this especially helpful during the exam week. I designated a small amount of study material on each subject every day. This helped me become familiar with a complex subject without the pressure of spending a long time on it. Moreover, I could practice making an effective schedule to follow, which is a useful life skill.

I can’t name just one teacher that I like the most. All the IDEATE teachers were so supportive to me and helped me with anything and anyway they could. I really appreciate them, and they made the IDEATE program possible. I also want to mention the teachers who taught me since Grade 6. They saw me grow up as a student, an artist, and a person. They made the school feel like home to me.

If I can go back and change one thing I did in high school, I would participate in more school events, especially musical events. I love singing, but I was too timid to try out for the school musical or concert. Now that I graduated from high school, I realize that having access to those activities is the privilege of being a high-schooler, and it would’ve enriched my school life even more.

I believe everyone should find the right balance between academic success and building strong friendship that the two that fit their personality and lifestyle. Some people may enjoy going to social events and making new friends, or someone may enjoy their own private time. During high school, I spent more time focusing on academic success because I thought it was more important. Luckily, I managed to make friends who I could have a fun time with but also study together. Thus, I think it is possible to have both academic success and strong friendship if you can find friends who have similar aspirations and lifestyle with you.

My final message to my graduating class is that firstly, I genuinely appreciate everyone for being part of the beautiful memories in BCIS. I wouldn’t be able to successfully graduate high school without their help. I cannot express enough how disappointed I am for not being able to say a proper goodbye to my friends and teachers due to the pandemic, but I hope I will get a chance to see everyone again soon. I will miss everyone a lot.

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Photos: Dayeon H., www.saic.edu

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