Ishikaa Mukherjee, Grade 12
UWC Atlantic
Despite being a challenging year with a continuous overflowing cornucopia of surprises, my experience at Atlantic College in 2020 was overwhelmingly positive. An immense abundance of memories stand out and truly embody the UWC experience and mission. However, if I were to choose 3 experiences that wholly represent all aspects of UWC in 2020, it would be the last weekend at Atlantic College before we were told to leave campus due to Covid-19, the quarantine period upon our return in summer and the conference led by the Middle Eastern and North African National group. These 3 memories exemplify the true emotion that UWC makes one feel, the innovative ideas that UWC produces and the intellectual stimulation that UWC enables.
Friday the 13th of March is a day that will be remembered by every 2020 Atlantic College student. I recall receiving an email on Thursday night about an emergency assembly scheduled for 8am the next day; I remember joking with my roommate about our precious school shutting down. Little did we know that our half-serious speculations were not far from the truth. I trudged alongside my friends to the Bradenstoke hall, causally located within the picturesque castle walls. Barely awake and almost ignorant to the breathtaking sun that had almost fully risen over the Bristol Channel, a view I would not be able to see again for 6 months. When we were hit by the news that we were to vacate the campus within 2 weeks, the crowd burst into a frenzy of pure, deep human emotion. There were students crying speckled across campus; there was rage, frustration and disappointment. We felt like we had been robbed of the UWC promise, the opportunity we had so ferociously fought for. But amidst this convoluted emotional debris, there was compassion, empathy and understanding. I got to see true leadership within individuals who attempted to neutralize and manage the difficult situation. I saw people caring for others instead of submitting to their own anger. I saw bravery. This day was a defining moment of my UWC experience and definitely a melancholy, bittersweet highlight of my 2020 Atlantic College experience.
Another highlight of Atlantic College in 2020 would most definitely be the quarantine period after returning to the college in the summer. These 2 weeks were incredibly difficult due to physical restrictions that quickly lead to emotional volatility. Despite being physically restricted, it only nurtured the growth of our innovative ideas. The quarantine period truly showed me the ingenuity which lies amongst the 16-18-year-olds of Atlantic College. It demonstrated the resilience of the UWC mission and how this cannot be restrained, even by a global pandemic. A prime example of the UWC innovation was the online UWC day that was organized during the quarantine. This allowed us to demonstrate an aspect of our culture, film it and create a beautiful and motivational school-wide video. This piece of technology was used to propagate the UWC mission student-led initiative, which greatly boosted our downtrodden morale. This quarantine showed me the true depth of the UWC essence.
Furthermore, the experience of 2020, which exemplifies the intellectual curiosity so tightly intertwined with the UWC mission statement, would be the Middle Eastern and North African conference organized in November. It created a safe forum for reflective and educational discussion regarding the culture and conflict in the Middle East. Truly providing education from the first-hand experience which could never be replicated in the classroom. My favourite discussion was on the ethical implications of a ban on Hijabs and Burqas. Discussion from this workshop flowed into dinner table conversations and permeated our minds. It was a truly stimulating experience that tested and developed a variety of skills that embody UWC.
These three experiences epitomize the highlights of my 2020 UWC experience on all major planes: emotional and intellectual. Amidst these experiences, there were a variety of other highlights that made me laugh, think and feel the passion. Highlights that showed me the nuances of colour, between the darkened shades, there were hidden pastel tones. Despite the difficulties of 2020, I do not believe my UWC experience or my personal growth was compromised.
Friday the 13th of March is a day that will be remembered by every 2020 Atlantic College student. I recall receiving an email on Thursday night about an emergency assembly scheduled for 8am the next day; I remember joking with my roommate about our precious school shutting down. Little did we know that our half-serious speculations were not far from the truth. I trudged alongside my friends to the Bradenstoke hall, causally located within the picturesque castle walls. Barely awake and almost ignorant to the breathtaking sun that had almost fully risen over the Bristol Channel, a view I would not be able to see again for 6 months. When we were hit by the news that we were to vacate the campus within 2 weeks, the crowd burst into a frenzy of pure, deep human emotion. There were students crying speckled across campus; there was rage, frustration and disappointment. We felt like we had been robbed of the UWC promise, the opportunity we had so ferociously fought for. But amidst this convoluted emotional debris, there was compassion, empathy and understanding. I got to see true leadership within individuals who attempted to neutralize and manage the difficult situation. I saw people caring for others instead of submitting to their own anger. I saw bravery. This day was a defining moment of my UWC experience and definitely a melancholy, bittersweet highlight of my 2020 Atlantic College experience.
Another highlight of Atlantic College in 2020 would most definitely be the quarantine period after returning to the college in the summer. These 2 weeks were incredibly difficult due to physical restrictions that quickly lead to emotional volatility. Despite being physically restricted, it only nurtured the growth of our innovative ideas. The quarantine period truly showed me the ingenuity which lies amongst the 16-18-year-olds of Atlantic College. It demonstrated the resilience of the UWC mission and how this cannot be restrained, even by a global pandemic. A prime example of the UWC innovation was the online UWC day that was organized during the quarantine. This allowed us to demonstrate an aspect of our culture, film it and create a beautiful and motivational school-wide video. This piece of technology was used to propagate the UWC mission student-led initiative, which greatly boosted our downtrodden morale. This quarantine showed me the true depth of the UWC essence.
Furthermore, the experience of 2020, which exemplifies the intellectual curiosity so tightly intertwined with the UWC mission statement, would be the Middle Eastern and North African conference organized in November. It created a safe forum for reflective and educational discussion regarding the culture and conflict in the Middle East. Truly providing education from the first-hand experience which could never be replicated in the classroom. My favourite discussion was on the ethical implications of a ban on Hijabs and Burqas. Discussion from this workshop flowed into dinner table conversations and permeated our minds. It was a truly stimulating experience that tested and developed a variety of skills that embody UWC.
These three experiences epitomize the highlights of my 2020 UWC experience on all major planes: emotional and intellectual. Amidst these experiences, there were a variety of other highlights that made me laugh, think and feel the passion. Highlights that showed me the nuances of colour, between the darkened shades, there were hidden pastel tones. Despite the difficulties of 2020, I do not believe my UWC experience or my personal growth was compromised.
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