ACTION:

Golf -- Clearly, this is my favourite action component as I intend to persue it more seriously in future. One of the biggest challenges I am facing this semester is in finding the time to play golf due to IB deadlines and it is a time consuming game where I need 3 hours at a stretch to play 18 holes. However, I continue to persevere by playing 18 holes atleast once a week. Although I like to be in a better place with a handi cap that is much lower, it is realistically not possible until my IB is done as it takes away too much of my time.

My biggest strength and skill in golf is my drive. Some times I drive as much as 280 yards and this is one aspect of my game that I am really happy with. But my short game needs great amount of work. Despite the time constraints, I am committed to make this work by taking a lesson every week with my coach.

My weakest links are bunkers (sand wedge) and putting, which previously was not so bad. This could be due to lack of practice because I don't spend as much time in driving range and on putting green these days. But I am committed to taking this game to the next level as I intend to pursue it at varsity level. So, I have starting stopping by the the golf course for 15 minutes everyday on my way back from school so that I can atleast practice my pitching and putting. I have also picked up a putting mat in order to practice between study breaks. Gradually my Putting skills are improving.

Tennis -- I played tennis from the time I turned 5 years old and persued it for 9 years but gave up when we moved to Colombo due to problems with proper coaching. Since, I was advised to take up a sport that was more rigourous tha golf, I went back to playing tennis twice a week and I shouls say that I am glad I did. I always regretted giving up tennis as I had pursued it for most of my early years and it is a game I truly enjoy.

I play tennis twice a week now and I am happy with my progress, although first month was frustrating since I expected my game to be where I left off two years ago. Since then, my forehand is almost where I want it to be although back hand and service still need a lot of working. I am mostly playing doubles now unlike before when I always played singles game. But I really would like to be a part of sport that needs collaborating, since I am doing golf where I play independently.

My coach is encouraging me to continue persevering the sport as he is confident that my skills will improve with practice and time. I intend to as it has been a great cardio activity and something that I truly enjoy.

Gym:

Since I started playing tennis, I am working out at the gym three times a week as tennis has been good for my cardio activity. Gym has definitely helped me to not only burn my calories but also as a destressor and keep me fit and healthy.

CREATIVITY:

Although I spoke to Ms. Rosanna regarding my interest in running for the head of MUN administration and gave in my name, I eventually withdrew because my parents compelled me to focus on my academics. Hence, I decided to drop MUN due to my academic commitments.

Since I learnt guitar for about two and a half years previously, I decided, it would be good to build upon what I had learnt, to reach the next level so that it becomes an activity that can pursued for a long time to come.

I found a teacher who comes home for an hour every week and teaches Tab. I was clear that I did not want to pursue the rigid structured music claasess with notes as it would mean starting from scratch and I was worried that I would not practice notes with as much commitment as practicing a song that I enjoy immensely. Secondly, I do not have the time to learn the notes and the music and I had to priorotize.

Hence, I choose a song that I like and my teacher taches it in two or three sessions. This is has been an effective method as I love to practice which I do when I take a brake from my school work. I caanot say, it comes easily to me but I intend to pursue this as I am enjoying the activity. I personally am not too good with my acoustic and particularly enjoy playing on the elctric guitar. My teacher says that I would enjoy playing the acoustic when my skills improve.

I never aspired to be a great musician but I most definitely love music. My goals for learning guitar would be, to play my favourite song while the others sing along. If I can confidently do that, I would a happy person.

Another creative activity I accomplished this semester is making the movie for my service. I have always enjoyed learning to use different softwares. Hence using the photos of children (before and after surgeries) whose surgeries were sponsored by us, I created a movie using iMovie software.

I first used powerpoint to create the slides and copied the slides to iMovie and added music too. Although it was challenging in the beginning, I soon became proficient at using the software. This new task helped me gain skills that are useful. We presented the video at school assembly and convinced a larger group of students to join cleft lip and palate service.

SERVICE:


Initiating a community service project for children born with cleft and palate has been the one of the best experiences of my student life. While the satisfaction of helping underprivileged children tops everything else, leading the service helped me grow as an individual and to a great extent provided some great perspectives for my future. Not only do I want to continue service activities in college but also to continue my support to cleft palate issue.


I would like to begin with work we have been doing this semester. Raising awareness of the need for timely surgery of cleft lip or palate and organizing our fund raising event topped our service goals. This semester we started planning an event two months ago, to raise funds that could sponsor atleast surgeries of 15 children born with clefts.


Our team voted to have a party outside school premises as Overseas School does not allow other international school students to attend events on our campus which could limit the amount of funds raised. So, our priorities were


1. Find a venue free of charge
2. Design posters
3. Find DJ
4. Find sponsors for the event
5. Advertise
6. Run the event


One of the first things I did was to call various city hotels and seek appointments with the GM's. Cinnamon Lake side was the first Hotel to offer us a venue, free of charge and we were really excited as the venue over looks the lake. The event was therefore set to happen on November 26th.


For me, one of the high points of leading the service has been my experiences while meeting various sponsors and making presentations. I met Hayley's GM, MAS GM, UniLever Marketing Director, HSBC corporate division head amongst others. I am proud of the fact that each firm was touched by the video (above) presented and committed to sponsor atleast two surgeries. Infact, it looks like, we could raise more funds than we initially planned.


The kind of support we receive when we seek help for this project never ceases to amaze me. Some of the corporate heads I met, want to donate from their personal accounts along with the donation from the firm.


Two weeks ago we experienced our biggest set back. Cinnamon Lake side called to apologize as they cannot offer the venue due to technical problems that we had no control over. This set us back big time as the posters are almost ready to go out. However, a bigger challenge now, is finding venue at such short notice. Despite trying almost every hotel in the city, we failed to find the venue as it is too much of a last minute with x-mas around the corner. However, we are not willing to fold in. We have now pushed the event to December 11th and hoping to find a venue, so that the event can go on as we hope to raise funds for six surgeries. I definitely will continue to persevere as running this event will mean raising funds for atleast six surgeries and since it is December, there is possibility for more.


The corporate sponsorships are independent to the event oraganization, thus will definitely come through.


Leading the service provided great insights into real world experience for me. Organizing the event and meeting the sponsors and collaborating with the local doctor and sponsors are something that I could never have learnt in a classroom and for that I am really greatful. I learnt that it is important to be the team player. The kind of funds that Corporates are willing to donate shows their commitment to service due to their social awareness and my interactions with them have definitely helped me to seriously consider management line of studies in future. The video presentation helped to convince people to reach out to the children born with clefts as it added an emotional angle which could not have been possible through mere oral presentation.


We will know in two weeks whether or not the event will take place and how much funds we raised this semester and how many surgeries we would be able to sponsor.