How To Graduate With No Regrets✨

Hello juniors! Here are some tips for you to have a fulfilling time in NJ :)

1. Know yourself well, put in your best in all that you do and practise active reflection.

It is important to know yourself well — your strengths, weaknesses, style of learning and passion. This will help you decide what opportunities to take up and maximise time by studying smart. Beyond academic work, NJ provides us with many opportunities to develop ourselves — research programmes, service learning activities, leadership development programmes and more. With a plethora of programmes and finite time, it is important to choose programmes where you can maximise your potential to enhance your strengths, work on your weaknesses and chase your passion. My passion has always been to serve the community. As such, I chose to join NJ Youth Give Back in JH4 and OVIA in SH1. These programmes developed me to be a better servant leader and this is only possible if you make full use of these opportunities by being proactive and finding every chance to learn. Always put in your best effort and view every opportunity as a learning experience that allows you to reflect. Through reflections, you will realise it is not the outcome of the programme that matters, but it is the process itself that made you grow.

One of my greatest projects in NJ - Vermicomposting, which I started together with my friends & teachers! Here’s a picture of me holding a bunch of worms :) Every successful project comes with blood, sweat and tears. We went through a lot just to make this a successful project! Always remember not to give up & find your inner drive to be resilient in face of obstacles :)

YGB( Youth Give Back) team after our successful VIA Symposium!

2. Always stay positive, adopt a growth mindset and be resilient.

You will definitely experience failures and it is perfectly alright to feel down initially. However, it is important to remember that crying or being angry will not push you forward. Don’t dwell on your failures but instead, look forward by practising positive thinking. Look for silver linings and consistently practise gratitude — be grateful that you tried in the first place. Adopt a growth mindset by regarding each failure as a learning opportunity to do better in future. Cliche, but failures really make us stronger. It takes time and it is difficult to stand back up again but you must acknowledge that failures are not the end. Be a roly-poly toy — it falls when you push it, but it bounces back up again.

PW — a subject that many detest. For me, I thoroughly enjoyed my PW journey together with my group & to all of you who have yet to start PW, always remember that the outcome is not the most important. It’s the process that matters. Look beyond your PW project, PW gives you the opportunity to work with a diverse range of individuals with whom you might/might not click with, but more importantly learn to see the good in each other & you’ll enjoy your journey

German O Level results day! I took third lang, German, in JH and I enjoyed myself because of this bunch of people who never failed to continuously encourage one another along the way. We failed tests, some of us even got scolded for sleeping in class, but what matters most is that we knew we had each other’s back in times of failures. Build a strong support system who will be there for you through your ups and downs

3. “For it is in giving that we receive.” Always think about the community beyond yourself.

While developing yourself, do also remember our College’s motto, “Service with Honour”. Be thankful for your support system — your family, friends, teachers, canteen vendors, cleaners, security guards etc. A simple word of appreciation can make someone’s day and show them appreciation for looking out for you. Giving back need not always come in the form of volunteering outside College, but it can also happen within College. When you see something that can be better improved in your CCA etc., provide feedback and come up with ideas to initiate change. A simple action goes a long way and you stepping forward may better the lives of others in our community too.

At the end of the day, what you’ll remember most is not the number of As on your results slip, not the numerous achievements you achieved, but the ups and downs you shared with your family in NJ. Create lifelong friendships & make good use of your time in NJ! :D

My cute seniors at Tiong Bahru during the 2019 Tiong Bahru CC Year End Carnival!

A very meaningful experience in my NJ journey! We crafted empathy workshops for students to learn more about the different communities in Singapore & develop empathy :)

Our Graduation day, where we went around appreciating our canteen vendors for cooking such sumptuous meals for us!

My OVIA Team - Team SIEMply IrREAPlaceable in Sambour Primary!

Our 2019 Grade 5 kids in Cambodia! We love them & miss them

- Jacqueline Tan (Jac) from Class of 2020