18 LUMEN | ALUMNI
By Yeo Jun Jie Lucius
Paddling
“ Que sera sera ” is a Spanish phrase which means “ whatever will be , will be .” In a sharing with Lucius , Nur Shyartiana Binte Saifulbahri ( IB Class of 2018 ), winner of the OBS Leadership & Service Award , tells a tale of her 2-year exploration and development in SJI .
She could finally breathe fresh air . It was Shyartiana ’ s big break from the conventional choice of education when she decided to enrol in SJI ’ s IB curriculum . Shyartiana knew the IB diploma “ was truly multifaceted , holistic and really focused on independent learning ” and it indeed more than adequately provided her that space she craved .
Looking back at her two years in SJI , Shyartiana reminisced that “ coming to SJI felt like coming home . I can never forget how welcoming SJI was .” She knew that she was never the smartest tool in the shed . However , her tutors went far and beyond , reaching out to her not just as more teachers but as friends too , looking out for and never giving up on her . Despite only joining SJI in the last two days of the orientation camp , Shyartiana ’ s first day felt natural , as if she had belonged and was always meant to be here . “ It felt really weird at first because all my Orientation Group mates had already became friends and were already comfortable with one another . I was a total outsider . However , within the end of the day , I was already singing , laughing and dare I say , part of them ?” The friends
Shyartiana met in SJI challenged her perspectives , supported her and showed her what being a friend entails .
From all the warmth received , Shyartiana was grateful and it inspired her to be someone better , a Josephian who touches the lives of others with a heart . In Year 5 , Mr Chong Chow Wee reached out to Shyartiana to be involved in mentoring sessions . “ It was nothing of a huge scale or lifechanging . It was not an established cause or anything but it really mattered to me ,” she says , reflecting about the afternoons spent mentoring the Year 4 students . As that simple task with strangers metamorphosed into a warm relationship with younger brothers , Shyartiana realised that the sessions became what she looked forward to at the end of the school day . “ You always start it off thinking that you are helping someone , but in reality , they are the ones helping you in ways that you would never expect ,” she says , for the thought of having impacted the boys ’ lives was all she could ask for .
What is adventure to you ? “ My childhood was mainly spent outdoors , playing football , digging up worms and sliding down stairs on cardboard boxers . I would climb trees to make catapults with my neighbours and siblings !” Shyartiana gleefully recalls . However , going through OBS made her realise , “ It could be in those quiet moments when you ’ re scared out of your wits but decide to do it anyway . Adventure to me has always meant saying , ‘ oh well , whatever ’ and then taking that leap of faith . I think many people associate adventure with the outdoors but the way I