This Is Yours to Write: A Story Only You Can Tell

——A reflection by Soh Shao Ming (26S7E)  

I have one hope – that after reading this, you will not move on so quickly.

Instead, pause and ask yourself: Who am I?

Writing this reflection does not make me any different from you. I am simply a 17-year-old trying things for the first time – taking leaps of faith, stumbling along the way, and learning as I go.

In this season of youth that we share, there are experiences that feel almost universal. As students, we are often stretched between academics, CCAs, and countless other commitments. Give nothing short of your best – but never forget to centre your youth around the things that make you truly happy. Treasure the moments when laughter leaves your stomach aching, and the times when you create memories you already know you will soon miss.

Whenever someone asks me, “What is it like to be a Hwa Chong student?”, my answer is always the same: it depends on what you make of it. The adage “you get what you give” has never felt more real.

Hwa Chong offers countless opportunities to learn and grow. Yet, the choice remains yours – to do the bare minimum and let each day slip by quietly, or to step forward and make something of it. Trust me: go out there. Try something new. Be somebody to someone. Find your own ways to make the fullest of your HC experience – and to make it fully yours. That is a decision you will never regret, not today, not tomorrow, not ever.

My own journey in Hwa Chong is something I could never have predicted. Everyone will live and leave with a different story, and the pen that writes yours will always be in your hands.

Never would I have expected to organise Hwa Chong’s Open House. Never would I have imagined being entrusted to lead the Track and Field Team – especially on days when I questioned whether I was even good enough. Never would I have thought I would design my own community service project for underprivileged children. The list goes on. What once felt distant and daunting gradually became something I could hold in my hands.

Of course, this journey was not without struggle. There were moments of imposter syndrome that whispered I was not enough. Periods of burnout that drained the colour from things I once loved. Rejections that lingered longer than I was prepared for.

It hurt – to give everything, only to fall short. But it would have hurt more to know that something failed because I gave up. So I chose to persevere.

Our school song, 只为那爱我愿, captures this beautifully:

“没有瀑布与岩石的阻挡，溪水就没有悦耳的歌唱”

Without the obstructions of waterfalls and rocks, the stream would not sing its melodious song.

Obstacles are not interruptions to our journey – they are what make it meaningful. So when you step forward without knowing if the ground will hold, embrace the uncertainty. See challenges not as failures, but as honest feedback. Let them push you to grow, and to try again.

Over time, I have come to realise that the HC experience is defined by paths that are rarely clear. We move forward before we feel ready. We do not always know what we are doing, or whether we are doing it right.

And yet, there is beauty in this. Life can only be understood backwards – but must be lived forwards. Only in hindsight do the dots connect. For now, we simply trust that they will.

So you might ask: is it worth it?

You already know my answer is a resounding yes. Instead, let me share how I approach it.

Three principles guide me: a rational mind, a genuine heart, and a helping hand.

No matter the uncertainty or failure I face, I try to respond with clarity of thought even when emotions run high, sincerity in wanting to make things better, and an unconditional willingness to help others – even when it is inconvenient. For me, that is enough.

You will have your own set of principles. Be patient in discovering them – but also be active. Try new things. Learn your strengths and weaknesses. Reflect. Seek the perspectives of others. Always strive to improve.

And you – yes, you – there is so much potential within you. The world already believes you are capable of great things. What remains is for you to believe it too.

Trust yourself. Commit to growth.

As time passes, you will find that the question I began with – Who am I?—grows deeper and richer. With every experience, you gain a new perspective. And perhaps the most surprising realisation is this: there will never be a final answer.

That is the beauty of the HC experience. It teaches us to value not just outcomes, but the process – the becoming.

While I hope we never have to truly feel what ephemeral means, it is worth remembering that our years here will pass in the blink of an eye.

So my final advice: carpe diem. Embrace the present! Live fully!

To parents: thank you for the unconditional love you give your sons.

You are their quiet strength, even when it goes unsaid.

To staff: thank you for going above and beyond. Beyond academics, you shape lives in ways that matter deeply.

To alumni: thank you for the legacy you leave behind. Your standards and spirit continue to inspire generations.

And to everyone: my small contribution to the world is this—to serve with a rational mind, a genuine heart, and a helping hand.

The question is—when your time here passes, what will yours be remembered for?

(Shao Ming is the recipient of “Outstanding Student Award”, “Tooh Fee San All-Round Excellence Award”, “02 Award for Community Spirit” and “Most Inspiring Hwachongian Award” at the 2026 Founder’s Day Prize Giving Ceremony)