Yongduam News December 2023
COLLIN SEO Y10 Committee Member
I am Collin, from Year 10. This is my third year in Yongduam. I enjoy playing sports and love to catch up on sleep, if I have spare time. The best thing about Yongduam is the friendly atmosphere that we have here. In my past days in Yongduam, I have never felt hesitant to reach out for help from the staff members and the Year 11s. The fact that everyone, including the students and the staff members, get along with each other like a family, makes Yongduam a comfortable place and the best home. Although the academic demands on the Year 10s are increasing, adequate support is always provided in Yongduam, and enough freedom is given to the Year 10s with trust. I chose History, Geography, and Computer Science, as my IGCSE subjects. Choosing Geography is what I regret, but I enjoy the other subjects.
Andy Lee Y10 Committee Member
Hello, I am Andy, in the same year as Collin and Steve, this is my third year in Yongduam. What I like about life in Yongduam is that the staff in our boarding home are hugely polite and generous. I am pleased also with the new furniture, they are very comfortable. The new furniture connects the students in Yongduam robustly since the furniture creates a better atrium to chill out in and to spend social times with the students in Yongduam. I am especially pleased with the small gym that is on the first floor of the Yongduam house. Small space for cardio, two pull up bars, and two barbells help our students in all year groups to have a healthy lifestyle. I am currently studying Geography, History and Computer Science.
Steve Lee Y10 Committee Member
I am Steve, in Year 10. This is my second year in Yongduam. As I am growing older, I am starting to feel the academic pressure increasing. However, the boarding system allows me to have more study time compared to Year 9, so the pressure isnʼt overwhelming. Furthermore, I am now using a room by myself, which gives me more freedom. Overall I think my transition from Year 9 (Key Stage 3) to Year 10 (Key Stage 4) was quite satisfactory since I am now studying the more subjects that interest me, and I have more freedom over my time as a boarder in Yongduam Home.
CATS Benjamin Han (Y11) & Yooahn Han (Y8) Benjamin: As a passionate musician in the school, I was involved in CATS the Musical, one of the biggest school musical productions that NLCS has ever put out. As a Year 11 student, who has to manage both academic pressures as well as extra-curricular and social activities, participating in the CATS was indeed one of the most challenging things that I have ever encountered in my NLCS life; however, it was worth it. It made me embrace the importance of togetherness and sense of team-efforts that are essentially life-long skills. I always had weekend rehearsals (9 to 5) where I got tired so easily that I wanted to give up everything, literally. However, after the four ʻliveʼ performances, the sense of accomplishment and compliments from friends, teachers and group of parents outweighed the daunting rehearsals and rather made them into one of my fondest memories in my time at NLCS. On the last performance day, I truly felt that I made the right decision, and, most importantly, it made me feel proud of what I can achieve and how I actually enjoyed the whole process as a professional whilst managing the tough academic pressures of R1 grades oppressing me. Lastly, I would like to extend my gratitude towards all the teachers (Ms. Martinez, Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Taylor and more) who have helped me get through this tough period of the year.
Yooahn: CATS the musical was my first opportunity to learn and enjoy performing arts in NLCS Jeju. The production consisted of more than hundred people, with different year groups from Y7s to Y13s. This gave me a chance to communicate with people from other backgrounds. From this unique experience, I was able to learn and improve in many ways, such as communication skills, emotion controlling skills, and of course, musical skills. With this year being my second year in NLCS, Last yearʼs Musical ʻThe Wizard of Ozʼ gave me a huge impression and made me interested in performances, which eventually made me join the musical this year.. Even though my role in the musical was not large, the fact that I took a small role made me proud, as my goal was to take part in the musical. As there are not many opportunities like this left, I will continue to take part in these productions. Even though preparation of the performance was harsh and tiring, I feel lucky to play in the show in Year 8, where there is almost no work to do compared to older year groups.
CATS Benjamin Han (Y11) & Yooahn Han (Y8)
CHRISTMAS PARTY Lucas Kim & Won Kim (Y8)
This Christmas party was truly a wonderful experience! Gathering around the campfire, sharing stories, and roasting marshmallows in the warmth of the fire created special moments. It was even more special with year 5, 6, 7, and 8 students. Conversations with friends were fun, sharing stories, and laughing together helped us become even closer. It even helped us to meet new friends and have a conversation with them! These special times made Christmas even more memorable for us. Meeting new friends through various activities, laughing together, and enjoying the festival time brought huge joy. I am truly grateful for the happiness experienced during this Christmas celebration. I believe this Christmas will be remembered for a long time to come, and same for the future Christmas Parties
Y11 MOCK EXAM PREPARATION Hyun Koo (Y11)
The past few months have to an extent been intense for the year 11ʼs, not only preparing for the mock examinations but also taking care of the house. Concerning the results of our mock examinations directly reflecting the future records of our actual IGCSE exams, everyone seems to be under immense pressure and the Yongduam boarding house has put a lot of effort into easing the burden from oneʼs shoulders before the winter vacation. Each year 11 student was given the precious opportunity to spend around 10~15 minutes conversing with our designated boarding masters (BM&ABM), being provided with moral support and guidance. The year 11 room lights in the dormitory were on until late nowadays and despite some of our staff members being annoyed (Watch out for Mr. Wilson), we students have ended up being more prepared than ever before our Christmas vacation. In fact, the mock examination is anticipated to be a tough journey for the year 11s and the Yongduam Boarding House, as a whole, looks forward to making a promising start to the upcoming exams. Last but not least, as a reminder, it is also imperative to take breaks to avoid burnout to maintain focus during study sessions. Balance your studies and rest. Merry Christmas!!
Key Dates ●
January 7th- Boarders return to school (between 2pm and 7pm)
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January 13th- Non-Bryant
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January 20th- Bryant
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January 27th- Non-Bryant
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February 3rd- Bryant
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February 7th (WEDNESDAY)- Seollal break- lessons finish at 15:25, so book flights for 18:00 onwards.