Personal Statement
From a very young age, I was brought up in a Christian family and attended Sunday School every week. On one particular Sunday School community service, we were brought to do a Kindness Walk, whereby we handed out food and drinks to people experiencing homelessness. I was shocked to discover that there were many homeless people in Hong Kong, and in the worst cases, some were addicted to drugs. Witnessing such events at the age of 10 left me quite uncomfortable.
Through these experiences, I feel blessed to have a family who loves and supports me and provides me with a roof over my head. Moreover, I always had a desire to do something for people in need. With a family of architects, starting from my great-grandfather to my father, I felt more could be done through architecture to help people.
Therefore, I would like to pursue a course in architecture and learn how to create a future of affordable homes. This is my primary source of inspiration to study architecture, as it gives me a chance to express my originality in creating spaces where people can live, communicate, work and play. My passion for learning and understanding different types of people, especially homeless people, and culture fuels my determination to follow this path.
As an aspiring athlete, I did not have the luxury of time to gain any particular architectural experiences because most of my spare time was spent training in the pool. Regardless, I did take steps in pursuing subjects such as Art, Design and Technology: Resistant Materials for my IGCSE and took up short courses for photography and 3D architectural modelling. Through these courses, my creative appetite and skills grew, especially in art when I explored paintings, sculpting, and photography which all helped to build my ability to visualise and conceptualise. Additionally, I did internships at my father’s architectural firm during my summer breaks, which gave me insight into how architects use creative and critical thinking skills effectively in an architectural practice.
Currently, I am taking HigherLevel Mathematics and Physics for IB and am very passionate towards history as it reminds us of the good and bad of our humanity. I understand that the field of architecture requires both theoretical and practical skills, and there is no one-size-fits-all as to what subjects to take at the high school level. I am constantly reminded that the field of architecture demands immense dedication and commitment. The workload can be overwhelming at times requiring excellent time management skills and a strong work ethic. Nevertheless, being an elite swimmer taught me perseverance, the ability to battle and work through difficult situations, especially when a set or race does not go my way. Accountability, committing to practice and showing up because I want to is by far one of the most important things I can do. Regardless of if it is an Olympian or club swimmer, swimmers will always do whatever they can to succeed in the sport, just like my determination to pursue my dream to become an architect and serve the community, despite this being difficult and challenging.
It is my hope that through the use of my time, gifts and talents, I can bring hope to the people who are in need, especially with the people who are experiencing homelessness and street cleaners. I also hope that my acting talents during Christmas skit for the annual Christmas outreach will continue to bring joy to the underprivileged children at St. Barnabas' Society and Home HK.
Finally, I am determined to be the best in every aspects of my life. I have a great work ethic, I work hard and am dedicated to my studies, my swimming aspirations, and my community.
