By Junhao “Mark” Xu ’16
WMA Alumni: Reflection
‘I learned to take comfort in seeking discomfort’ and ‘to cherish the value of different perspectives’
W • Senior portrait, 2016
hen I boarded the airplane on that hot summer night of 2012 from China to the United States, I knew I was embarking on a life-changing adventure, for I did not know anyone in this distant land. As I found myself lost in O’Hare with three gigantic suitcases, not knowing where to go for my connecting flight to Hartford, I questioned whether I was making a mistake by leaving my family and friends behind to attend a high school in New England.
Nine years later, I can safely conclude that I, in fact, made the right decision in choosing to spend four years at Wilbraham & Monson Academy. It was here where I developed a love of learning, a passion for stepping out of my comfort zone and, perhaps most importantly, a desire to learn about different experiences and perspectives. These three qualities have continued to change my life for the better. One of the reasons I was attracted to the American educational system is its flexibility in allowing students to explore their interests and choose the courses they are interested in. As a student at WMA, I tested many different fields, ranging from French to photography to finance. I discovered my immense interest in economics by taking Market Economy with the beloved and late Dr. Charles Warden and AP Macroeconomics with my advisor Erik Kindblom. That interest has not diminished since then—after graduating last year with a bachelor’s degree in economics and political science, I am currently pursuing a doctorate in business economics at Columbia University. During my time at WMA, I also learned to take comfort in seeking discomfort. On multiple occasions, I had to step out of my comfort zone, whether that was competing for the Varsity Swimming team, volunteering for a seahorse conservation organization on a desert island off the coast of Cambodia or serving as a class officer. They all led to significant personal development. I have kept that spirit since graduating from WMA. To name a few examples: I went from not being able to draw a cube to depicting the Guildhall on my sketch book after enrolling in an architecture class while at NYU London; spent a few nights in a dilapidated hostel in Cairo; and enjoyed every second of my visit to Lebanon, a country sadly portrayed by media as war-torn and dangerous.
