《海天寥廓，云树苍龙，中有我华中》

School		Hwa Chong
A place		I hold close to my heart,
where students experience		feelings of warmth and camaraderie,
lessons		of perseverance, humility and service.
Exploring		A place I call "Home"
possibilities and boundaries		that has helped shape me
together with teachers		and my closest friends
Children will		Become leaders
behave		in extraordinary ways!
Sleeping		On dreams and aspirations
Is not allowed!		We forge our future as one.

This picture may seem like just another picture of the Hwa Chong clock tower, however it was actually taken on the last day of school. This is going to leave an impactful mark on my journey in Hwa Chong as it is prove that I have managed to promote in one of the toughest schools in Singapore. This picture also really shows that bonds that can be formed in just one year time seeing the two guys at the top, hand in hand, getting a picture taken to represent their friendship.

Where else can you see a sight like this? Many may just see a gate, two banners, and Chinese New Year decorations adorning the corridors, but this image means much more to me. The countless hours spent designing, painting, and putting these up, alongside my fellow Councillors, to foster a mood of festivity amidst the pandemic were all worth it when we got to witness the awe-inspiring final product. These distinctive memories - fragments of the one-of-a-kind Hwa Chong experience that you don't get anywhere else - made my two years unforgettable. This is my #WhyHC: the friendships, the laughter, the adventures.

In the times of Covid-19, my #whyhc has become the small moments in between. Indeed these are trying times, with the cancellation of many school events and initiatives, that probably would have otherwise defined my HC experience. And hence - I've looked to the smaller moments - the moments of smiles and laughter, the moments of unbridled joy, the moments of love and care - that are all around school, just for us to look for :\")

This photo is of my pw group in my classroom. This is a story of how PW revealed my #whyhc to me.

To me, Hwa Chong is a school of opposites. My PW group is a living reminder of that.

Doing an english-based project, in a chinese-speaking class, in the Bicultural Studies room is a real-life demonstration of the diversity that HC offers- the marrying of two cultures that would clash so fiercely in the real world.

So what is my #whyhc? To me, it is my community, my crowd, my home.

100% the people! JC clearly isn’t a walk in the park and you may feel alone at times, but if you look around there’s always someone ready to listen and help, even in the least expected moments.

My #whyhc is kept simple. I’m grateful for an environment where I feel safe, and a place where I can forge bonds and spend the most unforgettable moments of life with my friends.

#whyhc cannot be expressed simply through words. The environment, the people, the teachers make coming to school every day worth it. Being able to meet like-minded people who share similar experiences, interest and hobbies and being able to support one another through hectic study schedules has been the highlight of my experience :D