We are incredibly proud to announce that three of our students — Xarina, Ombeline,및 Jethro — have been shortlisted for the prestigious John Locke Institute Global Essay Competition.
Here is a glimpse into their experience and the insights they gained.
Xarina INTERVIEW
UISG G11 Student
Domain:심리학
Essay Prompt:‘What is self-deceit?’
Xarina approached the prompt from evolutionary and cognitive perspectives.
“Self-deception is not solely a negative attribute of people, but a skill developed to help them survive in this increasingly complex world.”
How was your experience of writing for the competition?
It was actually a lot more fun than I thought it would be. It took me a month overall working on it, but it was really enjoyable. Especially when I found out something really new and interesting, and I just had to think, ‘wow, that’s so cool,’ and then I would write it down.
How did studying at UISG help you prepare for this competition?
I did it in the psych category, but I wasn’t taking psych at the time. The only subjects that really came in use were English, especially with all the long essays we had to write. Additionally, the Personal Project and all the long-term commitments you do in Year 10 helped me with time management. Also, MYP helped me learn a lot of professional structuring for my essays.
Do you have tips or advice for anybody who does this in the future?
Start early. Start the essay really early the moment you find out about it. Take in all the knowledge before you write your final piece because if you know what you’re saying, that’s the most important thing. Also, try to have a unique approach. They don’t want the most basic answer; that’s why most of the questions are vague. They want a unique approach to the essay prompt.
Ombeline INTERVIEW
UISG G11 Student
Domain:역사
Essay Prompt:‘Which figure in history did most to enlarge human freedom?’
To answer the prompt, Ombeline focused on Martin Luther King Jr’s efforts to enlarge human freedom.
“He fought not only to raise awareness, but to start a movement to enlarge the boundaries and put an end to division.”
How was your experience of writing for the competition?
My experience went better than I thought. I initially thought my chosen prompt was a bit complicated, but since I had already practiced a lot of essay writing, I knew how to structure it properly. Participating allowed me to dive deeper into my passion for history and learn more about what I want to do in the future. It also allowed me to develop my passion towards writing further.
How did studying at UISG help you prepare for this competition?
By studying at UISG, I already had a lot of experience writing essays. I learned how to structure my essays and write proper, formatted ones throughout my whole secondary years, so the process was smoother and less challenging. It wasn’t my first time being faced with such a demanding situation where I needed to write an essay about a very specific prompt.
Do you have tips or advice for anybody who does this in the future?
It’s really important to choose a topic that you really enjoy and that can help you explore what you want to do in the future. If you want to be able to write properly and actually have a good essay, you need to enjoy what you’re writing about. I chose the history prompt as it is something I am passionate about, and might do in the future; which made my essay process extremely fun.
I would also recommend to start planning and structuring your essay earlier on and not leave it to the last minute.
Jethro INTERVIEW
UISG G11 Student
Domain:Theology
Essay Prompt:‘Why would the creator of a trillion galaxies become angry if you engaged in questionable or immoral actions?’
Jethro answered this prompt with a thoughtful analysis involving Christian philosophy.
How was your experience of writing for the competition?
My experience was very engaging and quite laid back. The essay prompt challenged me to converse in dialogue with other essay writers and really think deeply. I spent most of my time thinking; the hardest part was coming up with a strong argument. The actual writing time only took less than four hours.
How did studying at UISG help you prepare for this competition?
Of course, my English class really helped me write an essay that I could make flow very well and have a logical structure. But also classes like Visual Arts and Design, which challenge me to think uniquely and creatively on a class basis, helped me come up with an argument that is beyond superficial and actually meaningful.
Do you have tips or advice for anybody who does this in the future?
I would say focus on actually having a good idea. The writing part is not so hard. The hardest part is having a really unique, strong, and well-rounded perspective that gives you an argument that is very impactful.
Xarina INTERVIEW
Ombeline INTERVIEW
Jethro INTERVIEW
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