SG in the Summer

Y BUILDING A BETTER FUTURE

Over the summer, I attended the Leaf: Building a Better Future programme at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford. It is an eight-day free residential prog – ramme on the values of Effective Altruism (EA): a movement that bases its theory on doing the most good for the world in an effective way.

In particular, we looked at the cause areas of animal welfare and existential risks such as AI risks, bio-risks and climate change. We learnt how to discern the priority of a cause area through the model of Scale/Severity, Tractabilbity and Neglectedness.

Influenced by philosophers including William MacAskill, Peter Singer and Toby Ord, Effective Altruism raises and discusses some of the most crucial problems faced today and in the future. The course led me to join the EA community and prompted me to become a volunteer at one of its global conferences: EAGxBerlin in Urania, Berlin, which happened in September.

As one of the youngest volunteers and partici y pants at the conference, I helped the entire team – led by the Centre For Effective Altruism – run the conference smoothly and ensure it was enjoyable and beneficial to all of the 800-plus participants.

FINDING FREEDOM IN SELF-DISCIPLINE

Vaidehi (U5) created an experimental dance show to support young people from the urban slums of Mumbai. She explains what motivated her to take on such an ambitious project.

“Art in itself is fluid, but one requires self-discipline to become a good artist. Sometimes I feel people think living a structured and disciplined life is limiting, but I think it’ s liberating. In School, you follow rules, but while following your passion you must discipline your own self. I know to be a good dancer I must train my mind and body to perform.

It requires rigorous training from a young age and selfdiscipline, but it’ s also liberating because it is my choice to follow my passion.

That’ s how Vaidehi Somani describes her philosophy of life, and how it translates to her passion for dance. She wanted to share some of that combination of discipline and freedom with disadvantaged children from Mumbai, so directed her first ever experimental dance show, called Mannsafar, in August.

The performance combined elements of dance with theatre and involved teenagers from the Salaam Bombay Foundation. Working with the Foundation ’ s Academy of Arts, she teamed up with young performers to deliver a production that was inspiring and life-giving in equal measure.

“I was so proud to conceptualise [the show] with my friends from the Salaam Bombay Foundation, ” Vaidehi says. “It really was a performance like no other, showing the chaotic but fascinating world of Gen-Z.

R

CROSS-CHANEL ADVENTURE

Kitty (U6) took a brave step in securing work experience at Chanel this summer. She recounts her adventures in Paris.

The motto “ you miss all of the shots that

you don

’t take ” particularly resonates with me today as it was through taking a “long shot” that I secured the fantastic opportunity to do work experience at Chanel this Summer.

After attending several post-School lectures in L6, I felt inspired to obtain an internship over the holidays to further my understanding of the world. One of these lectures was on the art of networking, which led me to get in touch with a Chanel employee. Much to my delight, I received a reply and was able to put my A Level French skills into practice.

In late July, I flew out to Charles de Gaulle feeling very nervous to meet my host family, who spoke little English. Throughout my stay, they were so welcoming and patient and made me feel entirely at ease. I learnt many useful French phrases – a few of which certainly aren ’t in our textbooks at School!

The staff at Chanel were incredibly kind, taking me out to dinners in Paris and driving me through the beautiful city late at night. I gained insider knowledge about the different arrondissements and the best places to go out. Despite France not being too far away, I was intrigued to learn about the cultural differences compared to England. This included the later mealtimes, which I gradually grew accustomed to.

The actual Chanel work was kept very confidential for competition and media purposes, so rules on phone usage were quite strict. What I can say is that all the employees seemed so happy to be there and appreciated all its benefits, including a games room, daily free coffees and top-quality food. Needless to say, the products that I was working with were intricate and it was evident that they were made with great care. I had the privilege of flicking through fashion catalogues of Coco Chanel items dating back to when she founded the company in 1910. I was interested to see the fashion of that period, noticing that many “ vintage items ” are coming on trend right now. I feel so lucky to have been able to see how a luxury brand operates from the inside, as a stagiaire (intern). After three weeks, I was one step closer to becoming fluent – in fact, I even started to dream in French! The experience was unforgettable. It made me more independent and more open-minded. I would highly recommend anyone to take initiative and look for opportunities like this.