Reflection by IBMYP World Topper – Tanishka Shah
“Believe in your inner power” and “Always follow the path of truth” have become the two most important mantras in my life. These words from Sir Robbin Ghosh worked like magic in my journey from PYP 2 to MYP 5. More than anything else, after receiving the news of achieving a perfect score of 56/56, I felt extremely lucky and happy to have fulfilled my parent’s and the school’s dream, and am glad to have proved that their faith in me was right. Now that I look back at my 9 years journey at VKE, it has been a fun roller coaster ride that taught me multiple important lessons. I evolved from a shy and immature child to a confident girl. The first day visiting VKE at the Shukrana campus, playing with the rabbits and comfortably interacting with the teacher, is still a clear memory in my head. A memory filled with happiness and hope that I shall be able to play with these rabbits every day and enjoy school like all the other kids at VKE do.
When that came true and I entered my class for the first time, all the kid’s attention was at me, honestly, I was scared and nervous but the sweet voice “Hello Tanishka. Welcome to PYP 2!!” and the warm hug from Khushboo ma’am still brings a smile on my face. Her words of encouragement and positivity taught me to always stay optimistic in life and look at the bright side of even your worst nightmares. Playing the role of the fortune-teller “Margaretta” in the PYP 5 exhibition is another memorable experience. Apart from all the acting and public speaking skills learned, the most important lesson was from the incident that happened the day just before the final exhibition. My script was completely changed, I cried a lot, thinking I might not be able to perform well now. But the teachers supported me and sat with me to rehearse it multiple times until I was confident that I could do it. This taught me the lesson that “It’s never too late” and inculcated the attitude of “Never Quit” in me.
After that, the shift from PYP to MYP was another big milestone. At that time, my family was going through a crisis, so mom could not spend a lot of time helping me cope up with the shift, but my homeroom became my guiding angel, my second mother. She not only helped me get attuned to the MYP pattern but also gave me the emotional support that I needed in those years. She ensured that I was at peace despite all the problems at home. She inculcated calmness and emotional stability in me, and I cannot thank her enough for that.
Academically, I was not facing issues going ahead in MYP because my concepts were made clear. The foundation laid was extraordinarily strong, so I could easily connect it to real life and build on the concepts. However, I was facing physical challenges. That was one of the turning points in my life. I wanted to achieve physical fitness and Thakur sir played a very important role. More than a guru, he was like a father figure for me. Every evening after school, he gave me personalized attention and because of him, I could become a state-level Javelin athlete. He tapped my talent and helped me explore my potential in sports. He helped me get a let out for my emotions in the form of exercise and fitness training. He helped me understand “No pain, No gain” practically in real life.
It was shocking for me to know that I had artistic talent in me as well, unexplored, and untapped. Vishwajeet Kumar sir suggested me to explore writing poems and do sketching as a mode of recreation. At first, I did not really think I could do it very well, but eventually, they came out to be really nice. They became a way for me to express my thoughts and emotions. He also introduced me to theatre. Along with his guidance and the drama teacher’s support, I could get the confidence of performing 2 commercial theatre plays in less than a year. And all the things that theatre has taught me are just too many to even mention. These sides of my personality were explored only because of the teacher’s deep analysis of my personality.
My trip with Jaya ma’am to the US in MYP 3 was my first international trip. I was very anxious and excited at the same time. Throughout the 12 days, she showed a lot of faith in me and helped me get exposure to the foreign world. Staying with her and observing her, in itself taught me a lot about how one’s personality and charisma shall be. Observing her, I learned how to become a fun-loving, confident, and influential person.
The school opened my doors to the external world and the global issues by showing me the path of Model United Nations. Participating in and conducting multiple MUN conferences, discussing the pressing issues of global concern related to the environment, social inequalities, and global peace; inculcated in me, a sense of responsibility towards the society, and a love for nature. It gave me a direction towards my career interest and showed me a way of contributing for the betterment of the environment. My journey was the toughest in MYP 5. Handling the pressure of MYP e-assessments, personal project, and e-portfolios was tricky, but because of the mentors and teachers in MYP, nothing could come in the way of me and my dream score. Their dedication and requirement of perfection was commendable, it made me feel more responsible for my projects and helped stay motivated throughout, despite the challenges. I cannot express my gratitude to all the teachers who supported and guided me in even the slightest way.
Apart from this, Dr. Ghosh sir’s tips and stories really inspired me to keep working harder. Right before starting MYP 5, he gave us a talk in which he mentioned writing “#56″ everywhere around you. I did that, and somewhere, it played a significant role in keeping me focused and motivated. The credit of this score goes to the school, their teachings, all my mentors, and my teachers. You have been my strongest pillar of support and I just do not know how to thank you all for everything you have done for me. Lastly, as the school’s Vedantic teachings have taught me, I would like to thank the divine power who gave me the will, faith in myself and others and showed me the right path always. I know, that ultimately, he was the reason behind how I met these wonderful people in my life who made me what I am today. I am grateful to him for having VKE planned in my destiny.”
