Time flies.
Time flies when you are enjoying the moment.
Time flies when I am at St. Pauls.
It feels like just yesterday when I came to St. Pauls. I vividly remember stepping into this hall; feeling wondered, interested, and excited, because this is what I was prepared for, this is what I dreamed of doing: study at a school in a foreign land. Thus, I pour all of my passion into the curriculums, enjoying every part of this school. I vividly remember the classes I took, the joy I felt, the passion I pursued, and the excitement I had. I looked forward to this day, where I became a senior, doing this speech, feeling proud and accomplished.
But time flies. It feels just like yesterday when I had that dream. And, today, I am standing right here, realizing that my time at this place is coming to an end. I started to look everywhere, in every place, on every detail of this school; the texture of the tables, the smell of the library, the brilliant reverberance of this hall; trying to remember everything, encapsulate them in my mind and hold it tight. Because I am afraid; I’m afraid to forget this wondrous place that I loved so daringly.
(brief pause)
St. Pauls has shaped me into a capable individual who strives for excellence. From the very start, St. Pauls challenged me on every front. It allowed me to explore many fields deeper than ever before. Many of these explorations exist in classrooms, many of them don’t. There are simply too many to count.
One such exploration was in computer science. Although I took the CS class one year early, my skill level was still above all of my peers. Thus, I do my own CS stuff while the class is in session. I will write code for my own interest or often only code to impress people. Mr. Lewis, Mr. Scott Lewis, soon realized this and did something phenomenal. One day, he asked me if I want to be challenged. Without thinking, and inflated with ego, I said yes. He then bring me to the Oriel where he introduced Ms. Dangler to me. Ms. Dangler wants me to take on the task of making an app that essentially evaluates students’ progress. It’s essentially an independent Grade Management System, a Study Planner, and a Survey System bundled together. As naive as I was, I downplayed the task by several magnitudes, assuming it would be a lot easier than it actually was. However, it quickly became apparent that this task is ginormous, and my interpersonal skill is lacking. Exchanging ideas with a client is difficult because translating theoretical concepts into normal English is difficult.
If I say “the SwiftUI view-model conformed to ObservableObject protocol that initializes with a State-Did-Change-Listener with custom completion block, invoking the Firebase API that publishes the delta back to the view model”, what does it mean? It essentially means that the interface updates its content in real-time.
So, after knowing my shortcomings. I went back to Mr. Lewis, and he encouraged me with several tips on how to communicate more effectively. After a few months of hard work, I completed the first prototype. I eagerly presented it to Mr. Lewis and Ms. Dangler. To my delight, they both loved it! This genuine sense of accomplishment is rewarding.
Then, I changed my path drastically. Instead of making programs for the sake of making programs. I start to code with potential imaginative clients in mind, emphasizing the ease of use above everything else. It allows me to think about my skillsets in their potential to benefit others, instead of myself. Without Mr. Lewis, I will still be a lonely programmer with no real friends and no real goals. So now, I like to thank Mr. Scott Lewis, who changed me and challenged me for the better.
This story is just a singular story in a vast list of my accomplishments. Other than computer science, I have also grown in subjects like Math, Science, Writing, the Arts, and also in skillsets like Leadership, Communication, and Organization. All of these growths are not possible without the support of many talented individuals inside and outside of this campus, including the brilliant teachers at St. Pauls who provided me with the knowledge I’ve strived for; my peer students, who are individually unique and are incredible in their own ways; my family in China, who supported my journey and every decision I made to seek academic excellence; and the Stines family who kindly offered me a temporary home in this foreign land and somehow always conditionally transform into quiet listeners, allowing me to bombard my technical knowledge every dinner. Thus, I thank each and every one of you, sincerely.
(brief pause)
Time indeed flies, I realized that this speech is nearly over. Why does it have to go so fast? I am unwilling to say anything complimentary about this school because those words will all be understatements. The only thing I can say is that I loved this place wholeheartedly; it makes me complete; it makes me confident to take on future challenges no matter their difficulty. Because I am a St. Pauls Gentleman, and that’s what I do.
Now, as I think about it again. I feel deeply ashamed. How dare I even think about forgetting St. Pauls. It is an insult to the people I just thanked a minute ago. St. Pauls has become an integral part of me, and I can guarantee each and every one of you that I will not forget you no matter what happens.
Thus, I should spend my remaining days at St. Pauls just like what I did before, pouring my passion into everything I liked. Time flies. But, I want myself to enjoy the last moments, my last unforgettable precious moments. Thus, I will let the time fly…
Copyright (2021) to Yuanda Liu & The St. Paul's School. All rights reserved unless specified.