Leaver Interview | Cathy, Class of 2023

“My first day of school here is my most vivid Wellington memory. I remember walking into my house room. I was super nervous and felt panicked. I was literally shaking. I did not know the house system. I had been to international schools before, but we never had anything like houses before. This system was entirely new to me. I did not know where to go or whom to talk to. I did not even know what a housemaster was. It was intimidating, but the people here were just so welcoming. Then the teacher assigned me a buddy who showed me all around campus. So, the transition was really smooth and easy.”

 

 

“When I first got here, I was shy. I did not like to do any public speaking or connect with people. I was not fond of going out of my comfort zone or taking on any kind of leadership role. But at some point, my housemaster chose me as our deputy head of house. It really changed me — both my personality and my work ethic. I like to study more and I am more organised, and I am better at planning team activities and connecting with people.”

“If I had never attended Wellington, I never would have performed in a musical. I think if I had gone to another school, I would have never even auditioned. But my friends here are super supportive. They encouraged me to participate, and I ended up really enjoying it. In my time here, I have auditioned for and gotten parts in Joseph and the Magic Technicolor Dreamcoat and Chicago.”

“I think Wellington definitely helped me achieve my goals in terms of personal growth. Also, the university counsellors and teachers here helped me achieve my goals in terms of getting into New York University. That has been my dream school for a very, very long time.”

 

“I want to study media, culture and communication and then graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree. I want to understand the relationship between propaganda, media and the information that we consume every day. I am interested in learning how brands and the media use psychology to persuade us and nudge us in the direction they want us to go in.”