【校友访谈】首届毕业生孟兴一：康德双语成就了我的牛津之路

小编结语

To me, the learning experience in SCBS is not only an accumulation of knowledge, but also a process of exploring myself and challenging myself. The fact that I am able to enjoy studying at the University of Oxford is to a large extent due to the free and independent learning atmosphere promoted by SCBS, which has cultivated my comprehensive ability. In Oxford, I deeply understood the SCBS spirit of "Harmony, Trust and Decency", and integrated it into my study life.

*This article is written in the first-person self-report of Cindy.

I am aware that my past experience at SCBS is inseparable from my dream of being selected by Oxford and realising this dream. At SCBS, I was not only immersed in a strong bilingual learning atmosphere, but also gained valuable study habits and ways of thinking.

The academic atmosphere 

was the cornerstone of my growth

When I look back on my past life at SCBS, one of the things I have learnt more deeply is the improvement of my independent learning skills. Here, time management skills and academic planning skills became part of my life. The school encourages us to organise our study time independently and allocate our energy reasonably, so that I have gradually formed good study habits. I learnt how to balance course study, extracurricular activities and rest time scientifically, which greatly improved my study efficiency. At the same time, the free learning atmosphere allowed me to take solid steps on the road of personal growth. Here, I am allowed to make trial and error and have enough space to explore my interests and potential.

After entering SCBS, the teachers here have guided me to slowly develop my enjoyment of Maths into a love and a goal in life. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to SCBS for nurturing me throughout my three years of high school. One of my tutors said that the most crucial thing in the learning process is to discover one's focus of interest, and in my case, that is maths. The joy of solving maths problems gives me a sense of fulfilment and an unending sense of joy. In the process of discussing maths topics with my teachers, I often have epiphanies under their guidance, instead of the traditional dead-reading, which deepens my understanding of maths. 'Playing' with maths is an exhilarating and joyful experience for me.

I am a graduate of 2020, and we started this class with small class sizes teaching. Under this teaching style, each of us can get full attention from teachers. Teachers not only pay attention to our academic performance, but also care about our hobbies, character traits, and future academic and career plans. Teachers are both our curriculum teachers and our life tutors, and this integration allows them to understand us in a holistic way, so that they can better guide our growth. I have benefited from small class sizes many times, and one of the most memorable times was in G12 when I was having trouble choosing a course, and when the course I wanted to take clashed with the one I had to take, my Physics teacher used his own time off to provide one-to-one tutoring for me. This kind of personalised teaching that focuses on the needs of each student makes me feel the warmth of education. Teachers always listen patiently to our confusion and needs, and help us find the right learning method and path for us. I am now able to cope with the academic pressure of Oxford with ease.

At the same time, small class sizes teaching also gives us more opportunities to participate in class discussions, which hones our thinking and expression skills. This kind of teaching style, which can respect and satisfy every student's need for expression, has made my journey of SCBS feel warm and welcoming. The students and teachers around me have always been selfless in lending a helping hand to help me overcome all kinds of challenges. Whether it was a learning dilemma or a problem in life, they always patiently guided me and allowed me to grow in the process of problem solving. I was deeply benefited and deeply moved. They took great pains to answer my questions and help me consolidate my knowledge over and over again until they were sure that I would be able to cope with the same problem the next time I encountered it. This care and dedication also warmed my heart and made me more determined to pursue academic excellence.

Teacher-Student Co-Education 

Benefits My Learning Journey

Encouraged by my teachers, I bravely participated in all kinds of practical activities to continuously broaden my knowledge and improve myself. This free and open learning environment stimulated my desire for knowledge and allowed me to grow in learning. Looking back to my high school years, the special courses offered by teachers during lunch breaks not only broadened my knowledge horizons, but also stimulated my curiosity about the world, and not only enriched my extracurricular life, but also stimulated my creativity and logical thinking. These seemingly non-academic hobbies actually provided me with unique perspectives and problem-solving methods for my future study of mathematics and statistics.

In the process of applying for university, I benefited greatly from the guidance and help of my tutors. They patiently analysed the strengths and weaknesses of each subject with their professional knowledge and rich life experience, and guided me in writing my personal statement and recommendation letters, which helped me to be clearer about my interests and development direction, and also gave me confidence in the application process. In the process of applying for university, teachers gave me selfless support and help, including my mentors who graduated from Oxford. They shared with me a wealth of interview experience and skills, which made me feel more comfortable and confident during the interview.

It is inevitable that difficulties will be encountered on the road to education. The teachers of SCBS have given me great support in this process. When faced with difficulties, they respected my choices and at the same time gave me sound advice. In a personalised teaching environment, I was able to choose a course that best suited me according to my interests and abilities. This type of teaching has allowed me to maintain my individuality while continuing to improve my overall abilities as I grow.

I would also like to thank the school for building a diversified practice platform for us. The Career Experience Week was an unforgettable part of my growing journey at SCBS. I was fortunate enough to have an internship with a well-known financial company to gain an in-depth understanding of the work content and pace of the financial industry. During my internship, I worked in the finance and trading departments, where I was able to experience the atmosphere and responsibilities of different departments. This process not only gave me a more comprehensive understanding of the financial industry, but also provided valuable reference for my future career planning. During the practice, I learnt how to communicate with team members efficiently, how to stay calm in the midst of busy work and how to apply what I learnt in real work. These experiences have undoubtedly laid a solid foundation for my subsequent journey to Oxford, giving me confidence in facing academic and future career challenges.

In my application to the University of Oxford, my social practice experience at SCBS has enhanced my personal statement and recommendation letter. Through participating in various kinds of social practices, I have deeply experienced the truth of applying what I have learnt. I have been able to apply what I have learnt in the real world, solving problems and improving my skills. These experiences also enabled me to demonstrate my calmness and composure amongst a group of high achievers when applying to Oxford, and I think this sense of relief also impressed the interviewers.

In my opinion, the educational philosophy of SCBS has many similarities with the learning atmosphere of Oxford. The University of Oxford emphasises students' independent learning skills and time management, which I was already well practiced in while studying at SCBS. At Oxford, I was able to plan my courses, applications and exams on my own, thanks to the teachers' encouragement and assistance in self-management of my studies at SCBS. The professors at Oxford have high expectations of students' learning and planning skills while giving us a lot of freedom, and this is also the case at SCBS, which allowed me to adapt to the pace and environment of Oxford.

Courage and support in making professional choices 

- the experience of changing majors from mathematics to mathematics and statistics

The unlimited encouragement and support for students' self-discovery of SCBS is unique. At SCBS, I was blessed with the courage and support to choose my major when applying to university. I still remember the struggle and confusion I felt when faced with the choice of my major. However, it was the free learning atmosphere of the school during my high school years that allowed me to learn to think independently, to experiment and to dare to make trial and error.

I majored in Mathematics during my first year at Oxford, but my career plans prompted me to switch to Mathematics and Statistics in my second year. My learning experience at SCBS has taught me that the only way to excel in a field is to truly love and excel in it. Originally, I was passionate about mathematics, but after learning more about the Mathematics and Statistics major, I developed a strong interest. Therefore, I chose to major in Mathematics and Statistics in the hope of furthering my studies in this field and gaining a broader scope of development. And all of this is due to the development and support of my planning skills from SCBS.

Moving from Mathematics to the Mathematics and Statistics major involves challenges and a deepening of self-knowledge. This spirit of daring to pursue oneself and to take on challenges is exactly what SCBS advocates. Here, I would like to share a famous quote from Socrates, an ancient Greek philosopher: "Know thyself, and thou shalt know life." This quote is a true reflection of my professional selection process.

The SCBS Alumni Association provides SCBS students with valuable educational resources and a platform for communication. I believe that this platform will have a profound impact on the employment and development of SCBS students in China or abroad. At the same time, I also hope that students will cherish their time at SCBS, bravely pursue their own interests, and continue to expand their horizons.

Here, I would like to use my personal experience to tell SCBS students that they should learn to reconcile with themselves and find a way of life that suits them. I chose to major in Mathematics because of my love for the subject, which was considered by my parents to be quite "hard". However, it is this perseverance and love that has allowed me to move forward at Oxford. I hope that all SCBS students will pursue their dreams and succeed in their endeavours.