Alumni Says Volume One with Achi Jeriah Kwong and Ahia Hans Lim

What are the hardest subjects in STEM?

Achi JJ: For me personally, I struggled with physics and chemistry because both involve memorization, computation, and understanding. I had to put in a lot more effort to continually answer practice problems and study the lessons since it wasn't enough to just memorize the formula and I needed to really understand the different concepts.

How did you handle fast-paced classes?

Ahia Hans: I think it's important to try your best to stay on top of classes. Friends and teachers are great for helping you, it's never a bad thing to ask a teacher for more help outside of class. The goal is to learn and understand so it’s important that gets done even though a class seems fast-paced. It's also important to know yourself though, and where your limit is. It's not a shameful thing to drop a class that you can't understand well or is going too fast. Important thing is to focus and build good learning skills for future classes, university, and work.

What made you decide to stay in MGCNL for Senior High?

Achi JJ: I think the main reason I stayed in MCGNL for Senior High was what I would be leaving behind if I transferred to a different school. That included my friends, the badminton varsity team, Whales (music ministry), and a culture that emphasized the importance of my Christian faith.

Is there anything you would do differently (in junior or senior high school) that would have helped you more for your college course?

Ahia Hans: I would've focused a little bit more on the SAT and avenues that lead to overseas opportunities. Volunteering at charities, helping the community, doing extra classes, and getting some certifications in. Those all look good on university applications, and as I mentioned, help build technical and social skills that are very important in the future. But also with all these, it’s important to cherish High school friendships and relationships and enjoy the moment and where you are currently.

How did you decide what strand to take?

Achi JJ: Honestly, I was always inclined to mathematics and science so I did not really struggle in making this decision. I think the main factor I took into account was the future career I wanted in medicine. So, going into STEM just made sense.

What skills did you have to develop to handle academic workloads efficiently?

Ahia Hans: Time management is a big thing, but also knowing your own strengths and weaknesses. Universities often give you a lot more time with heavier workloads, often meaning the studying and work you do is very self-driven. Knowing whether you listen and learn better in early morning or late afternoon classes is helpful, and making sure you are disciplined in working on projects way before your deadlines is a helpful habit to have. With all of that, it's also important that you ask your professor or tutors for help if needed. Some things are harder to learn for some people than others, so it's not an issue if you seem to be handling academic work a bit rougher than your friends.

What are some things we should start doing in JHS to prepare for SHS?

Achi JJ: Time management and avoiding procrastination. Since lessons are more difficult, they take a lot more time to study in SHS. There's also more to balance especially because you'll also be working on college applications. So, it's important to finish what you can as early as possible so work doesn't pile up and so you can focus on other things as well.

How to decide which course to take and which school to go to?

Ahia Hans: A bit cliche, but I did what I was passionate about. I enjoyed design and seeing how things worked so I pursued that, and I looked for schools that could help me learn that. Researching about universities early is very helpful and will give you a good idea of what you're getting into. Finding friends or family who has gone to these universities will also help much more than reading about it on a website. They can tell you firsthand about their experiences and learning. Also important to note that a significant amount of uni students end up switching their degrees after trying it out the first time. It's not a bad thing to realize that what you originally chose may not be right for you, so don't stress too much about finding or not getting the ultimate degree. 17-18 is a young age to be 100% sure about what you're gonna be doing for the rest of your life, so appreciate the process and make sure you really find something you enjoy and want to learn.