#atlanticcollege

So I have finally reopened my Tumblr after 3+ months of absence. Second term was a lot more time consuming than my first one, socially and academically. From reading my last post about first term, I have definitely come a long way since then. 

I won’t sugar coat it, my second term has been long (so, so long), stressful and exhausting, physically and emotionally. The workload for the IB started to increase in preparation for the hellish third term, with IAs, end of year exams and the EE looming over us. I got even less sleep than in first term, due to a combination of lazy time management leading to late night work (and too much fun with people when I’m awake). The reality of having only a year left started to sink in, along with the fact that we will have to take the real IB. Friendships shifted along with the seasons, sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. We got our hearts completely shattered saying good bye to our second years; the realisation that you won’t see some of these people for several years, or perhaps ever again, when you’re used to seeing them everyday, and of how much stuff you never said or did with your second years, is soul destroying. 

However, I’d do it all again in a heartbeat.

Yes, it has been a long term. But I realised that there’s no other people I’d rather spend that term with. Throughout the term I made so many new relationships with people, through project week (music production!!!) to joining new activities and councils, which made me realise it’s never too late to make new friends and find new friendship groups at UWC. Through all this I grew in confidence, to the point that I did things I never believed I could have done (wrote, recorded and released a song, became a leader for an activity, became a life guard...). I got to know my year group so much better, and over this term we grew into second years, ready to meet the standard set by our predecessors. 

I learnt how to work harder and better, to meet my deadlines and the standard expected of me so I can tackle the hell of third term head on. I started to realise my full potential, and am now more confident in being able to meet it, in and outside of the classroom. My grades improved since first term because of this, and I also learnt that your classmates can be some of your most valuable study resources. (Oh yeah, and I can now function on an impressively small and concerning amount of sleep!)

Basically I grew up this term. I finally worked out how to balance my work and social life, and how to set boundaries with myself, which is a very important life skill. I celebrated birthdays and watched people legally become adults. I complained about university whilst working on revision timetables and budgeting plans. I did some boring adult feeling things. But I’m not even close to finishing growing up. Sure, I’m grown up compared to the start of the year. But in a year I’ll reread this post and probably think “wow I was young and naive”, ‘cause that’s life.

So yeah this is a long, rambling, kind of useless post to try and make up for my absence over the year. This term has been so time consuming, and I know the next one will be even more...

I have always strived my best in school, as I am a firm beliver in the power of education as a mean to achieve something greater with a scope in the bigger picture and not just a mere practical tool with an end to itself. A year and a half ago, I started looking up schools that reflected my ideas of how education should be perceived in today’s world and, in doing so, I found out about UWC.

One of my biggest dreams became a reality when, after successfully passing a selection process, I was awarded a place to study at UWC Atlantic College (Wales, UK), an international boarding school part of the UWC Movement, a network of schools located in 17 different countries. UWC (United World Colleges) is a global education movement that makes education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future. Central to the ethos of UWC is the belief that education can bring together young people from all backgrounds on the basis of their shared humanity, to engage with the possibility of social change through courageous action, personal example and selfless leadership.  

As you can imagine, this wonderful opportunity requires a considerable economic effort, thereby I’m seeking financial help from people willing to help me fulfill my dream.

On this note, I would therefore like to ask you to consider the possibility to help me sustain my studies by handing out a contribution (in the form of a donation):

https://www.gofundme.com/help-me-sustain-my-studies-at-uwc

Even if you don’t have the money to donate, or simply don’t want to, I ask you to please not ignore my message and share it on social media and/or with your family and friends.

If you have any questions about UWC and/or on the selection process, please feel free to ask me.

Well, week one of AC has officially passed and honestly more stuff has happened in that time than I thought possible, and it now feels like we’ve been here for at least a month. In this week we’ve picked out subjects and are choosing our services and activities (HL: Bio, GloPo and English Lit & Lang, SL: Maths Studies, Visual Art and French B), as well as going on First year camp over the weekend (Dancing in the Moonlight will be forever ingrained in my brain).

At AC there are eight houses; Powys, Sunley, Madiba, Whitaker, Tice, Pentti Kouri (PK), Morgannwg and Gwynedd. I am in Sunley, which is one of the furthest from the castle (the trek to breakfast on the M4 across the field will be awful in the rain), but our house parents are lovely and the second years are nice and welcoming, albeit a bit weird and loud at times. My roommates are from Scotland, Thailand and Bangladesh and they’re amazing!

The first day was quite intense. Our bus was met by screaming second years banging pans and waving flags in a massive crowd, who lead us to our houses and we’ve got to know them reasonably well (2am talks and communal showers). The days have gone quickly but slow at the same time. We also had a Brit national evening, which allowed us to get to know our British co-years and second years a bit (although with 50 students we didn't really get close with people).

If you’re reading this, welcome to my blog! Some quick facts; my name is Jasmine, I am 17 years old, I have a dog, two sisters + a fossil collection and a small obsession with textile crafts and Rudimental. Oh, and in 20 days I will be starting at UWC Atlantic College in Wales, after applying through the GB committee last summer/autumn.

This blog is my attempt at documenting my time at AC over the next two years in a simple, accessible format and to try and give any applicants an insight into what goes on here (the long nights of obsessing over every British UWC blog I could find have left their mark) and to be able to easily give help and advice.

How updated will I keep this blog? Hard to say; realistically I’ll be more behind than I want to (I'm a forgetful, disorganised but lovable mess) but hopefully I won’t abandon this! If you are interested in more UWC blogs please check out the UWC blog list,  which I’m sure will be loaded with new blogs in the next few months.

In the mean time please stick around and watch out for updates!

Ido go to AC - I am a first year who’s now nearly 1/8 of her way through thisamazing journey ^.^First tip -DO APPLY! If you’re thinking of it - then go for it, becauseeven the smallest chance can bring so many new things into your life.I don’t know where you’re from in the world but I applied through the BritCommittee, which included a written application and then an assessment weekend.So Main Tip for written app: Be Honest. Sure, show what youhave in a positive light but don’t over exaggerate - theydon’t expect you to have already changed the world, just demonstrate thatyou’re interested, that you have enthusiasm, dedication, initiative.

Whenyou make it to interviews, or assessment (whatever process you go through)don’t value one part of the experience more than another - the participation games, the interacting with others is just as important as the presentation, or the interviews with a panel.

However if you don’t get to this stage - don’t give up! You are amazing and you still have the potential to change the world - I know many people who are making wonderful things happen, and they will probably achieve more than some of my co-years ever will.

That moment when: You live here.

Hey guys - apply to Atlantic College UWC

There's been beautiful views like this so much since I arrived over a month ago, though these may have been taken from a forbidden, out of bounds spot. Come meet wonderful people, have a great time and work to make a positive change in the world.