General Goals

Managing Stress 

As someone who has studied in 9 different schools across 3 continents, I understand the value of adaptability and the importance of being able to succeed in an unfamiliar environment.  Entering the Diploma Program is an intimidating step in my journey to graduation, and I understand the importance of managing stress in order to thrive during this critical time in my life. To achieve my goal of reducing stress throughout the course of the year, I will place an increased focus on both the quality and quantity of my sleep, with a goal of 8 hours per night. Moreover, I will regularly set aside time for self-reflection and meditation, and I will also adopt effective time management techniques. Through the fulfillment of these goals, I will grow as a member of the OSC community and as a person.

Creativity

Meditative Coloring

My choice of meditative coloring as an after-school activity is in direct relation to my goal of managing stress. Prior experience has taught me the value of making time for self-reflection and, furthermore, the importance of creative expression, both of which are skills that meditative coloring will allow me to develop. As a method to relieve stress, a means by which to enhance my creative thinking abilities, and a space for self-reflection, the multi-faceted benefits of meditative coloring make it an ideal creative activity for me. By the conclusion of this school year, I hope to completely color 4 large posters in a collaborative effort with my peers who are also participating in meditative coloring.

Backstage Crew

This year I want to try something new, and I believe that participating in the backstage crew for the upcoming school production and spring gala is an ideal way to get out of my comfort zone and expand my interests. Although my forays into the field of theatrics have been fairly limited, I have always enjoyed watching performances and being a part of the process of preparing for performance even if I am not the one on stage. Thus, joining the backstage crew is a perfect fit. I hope to play a vital role in the organization and behind the scenes work for school functions, and to do this I will attend all necessary sessions and provide support for the actors in any way possible.

Activity

SAISA Swimming

Since it was introduced to me two years ago, swimming has become a major part of my life. Although the countless hours of training and the resulting fatigue – both physical and mental – have made it one of the most demanding activities that I have ever participated in, the reward more than justifies the effort. The South Asian International Schools Association competition (or SAISA) is the culmination of the season. Up to 12 schools participate from nations such as Oman, Jordan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and, of course, Sri Lanka. In my first year of competition, I watched an unprecedented performance by the 13-14 boys relay team which resulted in all three relay records being rewritten. This year, I hope to be a part of a similar relay-record-sweep, this time in the 15-19-year-old age group. Moreover, I hope to win two individual medals and set personal bests in all of my events.

TISSL Swimming

TISSL swimming joins the international schools of Sri Lanka in a friendly competition which occurs about a week after SAISA. This serves as a valuable marker for our performance on a much higher level; considering the fact that the TISSL competition is almost double the size of SAISA. Last year my relay team and I placed first in the 200-meter freestyle relay and fourth in the 200-meter medley relay. This year we hope to replicate this success (which will be no mean feat, given that we will have moved up one age group). By doing this, and achieving our SAISA goal of the three-relay record sweep, we will have cemented our place as the strongest 15-19 boys relay team in OSC (and SAISA) history.

SAISA Track and Field

Even before swimming, I competed internationally in cross country and track and field events. To this day, I have retained my passion for running, and although my focus has shifted from long distance to sprinting, I still have within me the desire to race. At SAISA I compete in the 100-meter dash, the 200-meter dash, the long jump, the discus throw, and the shot put, and this year I hope to bring home four individual medals and three relay medals. I also hope to set personal bests in all of my events with priority on the 100- and 200-meter dashes. Furthermore, I am making it my goal to stay healthy in order to be able to compete at the highest level possible throughout this season. In the past, I have struggled with injuries, but I fully intend to be healthy all season long and to have an injury-free SAISA experience.

Service

Gecko Inc. 

I have been lucky to have the opportunity to lead the Gecko Inc. service group, which focuses on helping disadvantaged Sri Lankan children to develop basic water safety skills. Considering the fact that Sri Lanka is an island, a child’s ability to feel safe around water is critical to preventing drownings. My involvement in Gecko Inc. so far has been an amazingly meaningful experience for me, and I look forward to watching the kids grow as swimmers and as people. I hope that by the end of this year all fo the participants will be able to swim 50 meters without stopping or standing up. This will certainly be challenging given the current abilities of the swimmers, but with encouragement and effective teaching strategies, I’m sure that it is possible.