ALUMNI | LUMEN
23
Ong Jun Xun
Mere words cannot fully express how important SJI has been to me . If you would have told 12-year-old me that my decision to select SJI would be one of the most impactful choices ever , I would not believe you . I could not care less about it , I had never seen the SJI campus before , I was not even in Singapore when I chose SJI . But fate brought me to SJI , and I got lucky . Real lucky .
Every SJI student and ex-student can tell you a whole bunch of stories about fun and happy experiences in SJI , but whenever I look back on my SJI journey , somehow the tough times always come to mind first . Perhaps ‘ tough ’ does not perfectly describe these moments of discomfort , but my journey was full of learning points , challenges that made me a better person . And after each challenge , there was always a sweet reward . I was made to find comfort in discomfort , forcing me to try new things , meet new people . Therefore , if I had to say what is the biggest difference between me before and after my 6-year journey , is that I had become open to learning and relearning . Now , I am unfazed by new opportunities and would willingly embrace these different experiences and learn from them .
A simple example of this : I was not a sporty and outdoor type of person , and still not much of one , but SJI kept throwing me with such activities . Camp TABA , Overseas Residential Programme ( ORP ), Global Education Programme ( GEP ), Sports day , just to name a few . I dreaded some of them , but I slowly became more receptive and learned a lot from these experiences . They taught me about team spirit , cultural
appreciation , the importance of serving to the less fortunate while at the same time learning from their more simplistic but wholesome way of life . These have become some of the most memorable moments in my journey as an IP student . I can remember being stuck and lost in a hut somewhere up in a mountain in Shangri-La with about 20 other people , only eating a few biscuits and cramming in a corner to sleep , breathing in smoke from the campfire and praying that I would be alive the next day .
The CAS programme proved to be another uncomfortable and challenging experience , being forced to fulfil the required hours . But this was where I learned the most about myself , and what I would want to do in the future . Forming a band and playing music that we liked but others may not ( because we played Japanese songs ) felt awkward , but it taught me how to accept my differences and not care so much about others
judgement . Participating in the Heartstrings concert opened my heart to the children in need and the disabled .
As an ex-student , whenever I look upon SJI and remember all these experiences , all I can think of is how thankful I am . SJI has taught me so much more than just academic knowledge . My teachers taught me important life lessons and guided me down the right path , and I will continue to follow it as I grow up . SJI has also given me the greatest gift of all : friendship . Never would I have ever thought that my friends would celebrate my birthday on graduation day ! Many of my friends would be friends for life , and what more could I ask for .
The outside world is scary , unpredictable and daunting , but SJI has prepared me to overcome any obstacles . SJI has ingrained in me the importance of serving , and I will continue to do so in the future . I aim to become a neuroscience researcher , hoping to tackle with the problem of neurodegenerative diseases , to help better society . SJI core values will forever be with me , and I will not lose sight of the ultimate goal : to serve the last , the lost and the least .
This page ( top ): The Squad that Survived the Unforgettable Hike in Shangri-La
This page ( bottom ): The Champion Class and The Best Class Ever - LE402 2016