Congratulations to Olivia,who achieved full marks of 45 in the IB!

Hello Olivia! Congratulations on your graduation in May 2020. How would you describe your experience as a Dulwich student?

I think I had a really wonderful and transformative experience as a Dulwich student. I entered Dulwich in 2012 and I was just in Year 6. I think my wonderful experience was in large part due to the amazing friends and teachers I’ve had during my entire time there.

And, congratulations on achieving a perfect score of 45 for your IB diploma! As a student leader with strong academics, how did you balance your personal interests, CCAs, personal wellbeing, and studies?

I think balancing my time was one of the biggest struggles I had at Dulwich just because there were so many amazing activities and opportunities and I wanted to take part in them all. In addition to being a head prefect I also participated in a lot of productions. 

I was on the netball team and the Sustainability Team, and I did lots of other activities. I think that with the support of my teachers and family I was able to find really good stress management and time management techniques. I think trying to keep organized and set manageable goals for myself every day really helped me stay on top of my work.

You are set to study at Brown University in the United States. How did you select Brown University and what will you study?

I sought Brown for a couple of reasons. Firstly I really love Brown’s open curriculum because it provides a really flexible course of study and I can explore my many academic interests while I’m there. Secondly I think the Brown community is very warm, open and collaborative, which are parts of the Dulwich community that I really love and I’m looking forward to having them, also be part of my university experience. I’m currently pondering on majoring in English and environmental studies. I’ve always loved studying English and I’ve had set a more recent passion for sustainability. Both of those interests were cemented by my IB, English and Geography teachers and I really look forward to pursuing them in university.

What does a Worldwise Education mean to you?

To me a worldwise education means being a kind and compassionate global citizen. I think Dulwich does a really good job of incorporating service and global citizenship into all aspects of student life. And it was actually through the service programme that I joined the Sustainability Team and encountered my love of sustainability.

What do you appreciate most about life in Shanghai and as a student at Dulwich? 

Both in Shanghai and at Dulwich I really appreciate the global community that I have been a part of. Shanghai is such a vibrant and global city and I’ve also really enjoyed learning more about Chinese culture.

Within Dulwich specifically I think the fact that there’s such a tight-knit community really makes the experience there so valuable. I have had such amazing teachers and friends, and I definitely feel like I have been a really integral part of the school for all the years I have been there. 

What advice or words of wisdom do you have for current Dulwich students?

My biggest piece of advice is just to relax and have fun.

I think all Dulwich students work very hard and do their best to be successful everything they do. Well that’s very admirable. I think it’s also important to not lose sight of enjoying time with your friends and family and other loved ones.

Some of my best memories from Dulwich come from just spending time with friends and school. And I think it’s especially during the global pandemic when some of us are still separated from friends and family.

Congratulations to Olivia, who achieved 45 points in her IB - a perfect score! She will be attending Ivy League university, Brown, in January majoring in English and Environmental Studies after completing an internship in a sustainability start up in Shanghai. 

Olivia joined Dulwich College Shanghai in 2012.