In this world, there are students who shine brightly, not just through their academics but also through their remarkable achievements. In this “Student Spotlight” feature, we’ll meet a student whose name you’ll see in every successful project the school has done, and has excelled both academically and in terms of extracurricular activities. Join us in this journey to know more about their secrets to success, as well as some tips they have to share as well.
After spending several years at Assumption College, T decided it was time for a change and eagerly seized the opportunity to transfer to Newton upon hearing about it. Within just three days, he became a student here. His transition to Newton wasn’t the only thing that was impressive though. At just 15 years old, T has already taken on the role of being the only lighting designer for all Newton drama productions, coded the website for Newtonian (which you are currently reading on right now ), is president of the Nova Drama Club, and acted as the head technician, among various other accomplishments. (PS the list goes on but I’ll feel bad for myself if I keep on typing any longer.)
However, with great accomplishments comes great stress. So I asked T how he deals with them. He works even more. T claims that he is a workaholic and copes with stress by throwing himself even more passionately into his work, seeking comfort in staying occupied. It is a reminder that everyone has different ways to deal with stress.Whether you're like T and like to stay busy, find comfort in sleep (as I do), or cope through conversation and venting, there's no one-size-fits-all approach to managing stress.
However in the rare instances when he isn’t in meetings or busy with projects, he does enjoy coding. What’s interesting is that he actually proposed the idea of creating the website Newtonian and completed the initial beta version in just 2 weeks! After hearing about his love for coding, I was curious as to why he wasn’t in the AI track, or why he didn’t pursue theoretical arts.Ultimately, T revealed that his affection for biology and psychology, fueled by the fact that his parents want him to become a doctor , was what made him settle on neurosurgery, a perfect combination of his two most favorite subjects.
Considering we were the same age, I needed to know what T tells himself everytime he takes on new challenges. He keeps it straightforward saying “ You can do it”.For him, even if things don't go as planned, giving your best shot is what matters most. His time in drama has taught him that you can always try again and improve in the next production. His advice is, “ If you want to do something, do it now”, after all, high school doesn’t wait.
I want to give a big thank you to T, from year 12 Med B, for taking time off to let me interview him, and Krapook, from year 13, for helping me with this article. Be sure to keep an eye out for T's exciting upcoming projects, including "Ramayana The Musical" and "Musicfest," where he'll be contributing his skills behind the scenes.