After much deliberation and a deluge of requests, I’ve decided to post my favorite of the three essays I wrote for my Stanford application! (Yay.) Stanford students possess an intellectual vitality. Reflect on an idea or experience that has been important to your intellectual development. (100 to 250 words) I’ve always seen myself as aContinue reading “Stanford Essay!”
Tag Archives: quotes
To Marguerite – Continued
By Matthew Arnold Yes! In the sea of life enisled, With echoing straits between us thrown, Dotting the shoreless watery wild, We mortal millions live alone. The islands feel the enclasping flow, And then their endless bounds they know. But when the moon their hollows light, And they are swept by balms of spring, AndContinue reading “To Marguerite – Continued”
The Lesser Seen
It’s been a long time since I last posted on my blog; I’ve been quite busy with university applications, scholarships, exam preparation, meet-ups with friends (before they head off to college this September!) and the works. But this holiday I’ve found the time to return to the weekly Wednesday Meet-the-People Sessions (MPS) at my local constituencyContinue reading “The Lesser Seen”
I Am Macbeth, and IB is my Lady.
Forget the small issue of conflicting gender roles; we are all Macbeths, and IB is our Lady Macbeth. Admit it. We started off this journey fresh-faced, seduced by the allure of being inquiring, knowledgeable students of the future, compelled by the thought of being challenged intellectually… But over time, we’ve struggled to catch the falseContinue reading “I Am Macbeth, and IB is my Lady.”
Fat Pig, Pangdemonium Productions
I have to admit, I watched this play twice. Twice? Forget the outraged (and at the same time rather smug) voice in your head going: “Twice? Such a luxury! What a spoilt thing!”, and listen up for a moment. Watch this play. (Well, it’s over now – but do catch it elsewhere!) You won’t regretContinue reading “Fat Pig, Pangdemonium Productions”
MOE Cuts Funding to Independent Schools
The funding cuts for the top independent schools in Singapore have recently raised quite a furore over the fairness of such a move. Six top independent schools in Singapore have had their funding cut and, along with other mission schools, have been told to moderate fund-raising activities for campus upgrading. In addition, they will have toContinue reading “MOE Cuts Funding to Independent Schools”
Brideshead Revisited, by Evelyn Waugh
Sometimes, I feel the past and the future pressing so hard on either side that there’s no room for the present at all. Beautiful, reflective, and charmingly nostalgic, Brideshead Revisited paints a captivating picture of the British aristocracy in the prosperous age before the Second World War. This is a novel that speaks of religion, love, art,Continue reading “Brideshead Revisited, by Evelyn Waugh”
New Year, Old Concept, Same Life
At the debut of every new year, the vast majority of the 7 billion (and steadily increasing) human inhabitants of this earth sit down at their desks (or stand in their showers, take a run in their parks, do handstands in their rooms for all I know) and mull over the past 365 days withContinue reading “New Year, Old Concept, Same Life”
Household Gods, by Philip Hobsbaum
Household Gods “I mirrored their breaking lives,I saw their pale Distraught coming and going, lined despair, His shaken bulk, her calm pose in the doorway— I saw them. I was there.” “I have so long been silent, even now Hardly at all remember how her slim Long fingers once caressed me—was that how At oneContinue reading “Household Gods, by Philip Hobsbaum”
Siem Reap: Savong’s School
I slept and I dreamed that life is all joy. I woke and I saw that life is all service. I served and I saw that service is joy. – Kahlil Gibran The rickety drive up the bumpy, pot-holed path to Savong’s School was always one of suppressed excitement; the pit of my stomach wouldContinue reading “Siem Reap: Savong’s School”
Siem Reap: Colorful Characters
The most exhilarating part of traveling is chancing across an intriguing, colorful array of people along the way. This trip to Siem Reap not only led us on a journey of self-discovery and service, but brought us on an adventure to meet a myriad of different characters, each with their own riveting stories. Often taxi driversContinue reading “Siem Reap: Colorful Characters”
The Outsider, by Albert Camus
Should I kill myself, or have a cup of coffee? It is this strange insouciant detachment that characterizes ‘The Outsider’; that makes it such an unsettling and yet morbidly compelling read. It is a story that leaves you with an aching sense of gaping vacuity, a feeling that perhaps life has no meaning, and noContinue reading “The Outsider, by Albert Camus”
It’s All in the Mind.
It’s that time of the year when work starts piling up- multiple IAs and assignments lie in a stack of unkempt, disheveled papers at the corner of your desk- constantly reminding you, beseeching you to pay some thought to your neglected duties. But all you can think about is how to avoid studying for yourContinue reading “It’s All in the Mind.”
Why Teachers Matter.
This post is dedicated to all the teachers out there. To the teachers that have touched my life, and the lives of many others, from tottering toddlers to angsty adolescents – this is for you. I simply cannot express how much my teachers have influenced my life – every single one of them. You getContinue reading “Why Teachers Matter.”
Taking a Nap: A Break from the World
I never really believed in the power of naps – quite frankly, I considered them a waste of precious time that could be put to use productively. It pained me to think of wasting thirty minutes on pure lazing around: there was simply too much to do to take a break just for the sakeContinue reading “Taking a Nap: A Break from the World”
Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea, by Charles Seife.
Nothingness is being and being nothingness… Our limited mind cannot grasp or fathom this, for it joins infinity. – Azrael of Gerona Connections, connections, connections. There are many things in life that have inconsequential beginnings: things that are only discovered by chance (and on curious whim). When nonchalantly sweeping past the library bookshelf and fingeringContinue reading “Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea, by Charles Seife.”
Lost Horizon, by James Hilton
There are books that, after an intense and exhilarating read, leave you perturbed and agitated; there are books, incidentally, that, after a calm, mildly thought-provoking rumination, leave you calm and collected. Then there are books that coax the life out of these two worlds; long, undulating colorful strands, plucked from the most delicate of glowingContinue reading “Lost Horizon, by James Hilton”
Perfume, by Patrick Süskind (Translated by John E. Woods)
If no one asks me about it, then I know what it is; but if someone asks me about it and I try to explain it to him, then I do not know what it is. ~ St. Augustine, quoted by Patrick Süskind in On Love and Death A quote intended to describe time, but aptly adaptedContinue reading “Perfume, by Patrick Süskind (Translated by John E. Woods)”
Why I Love Maths
Why; I Love Math Yes, you heard correctly- Why I Love Math. A question people ask frequently It never ceases to puzzle me How could you not love math? It is wonderfully adept with many possibilities in fact Infinity to be exact. It is much like a lover. A lover, you say? Yes, a loverContinue reading “Why I Love Maths”
Busy.
I like the pace of my world. It’s busy, but for me, the less I do the lazier I get. Another incredibly hectic week. After a frenzied week of missing school intermittently for Tobacco Summits, Director General of Education visits, etc.- I was greeted by a week of tests (that abashedly I only studied for the dayContinue reading “Busy.”
Piffling Postages
Things have been a bit of a convoluted Christmas-light-esque jumble of tangled wires lately, but suffice to say these few days have been incredibly eventful ones. The past week has been frenetic- from helping out at Open House 2013 (a chaotic jumble of 400 people!) to watching The Importance of Being Earnest, to multiple IAsContinue reading “Piffling Postages”
The Importance of Being Earnest, Wild Rice Productions
It is a terrible thing for a man to find out suddenly that all his life he has been speaking nothing but the truth. Can you forgive me? Words cannot begin to describe the stomach-aching, cheek-muscle-straining, giddiness-inducing two hours of utter enjoyment that Wild Rice’s production of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest brought to theContinue reading “The Importance of Being Earnest, Wild Rice Productions”
All My Sons, By Arthur Miller
‘[…] the underlying fear of being displaced, the disaster inherent in being torn away from our chosen image of what or who we are in this world.’- Arthur Miller, Tragedy of the Common Man. The fear of not being that which you want to be. A pervasive fear; one that everyone falls prey to at oneContinue reading “All My Sons, By Arthur Miller”
Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
Don’t trust your own judgement. Think. At first glance this hefty book may seem like a compilation of daunting concepts and unmoistened bare facts- the book is indeed dry and may come across as an esoteric psychological analysis of a specific area in the cognitive sciences. However, it is reasonably conveyed in layman’s terms- andContinue reading “Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman”
Those Barren Leaves, by Aldous Huxley
Starting with my first-ever book review on this blog! It seems rather apt to be reviewing this book, as Aldous Huxley is arguably my favorite author of all time-although that’s not much of a feat since I’m unfortunately not as well-read as I would like to be (due to time constraints). Prior to this I’veContinue reading “Those Barren Leaves, by Aldous Huxley”
Ruru 