It all began right after my Grade 12 finals. Those huge, horrifying 600-page books had finally closed for good, and I was at peace for the first time in months, fresh out of a bath, lying down, and not worrying about physics numericals for the first time in a long while. That’s when the phone rang. It was a familiar number, our college number. I knew it had to be something college-related.
On the line was our coordinator asking me if I could come to college to “talk about something.” And if I had free time on my hands. With nothing better to do, I figured, why not?
I showed up expecting a quick chat. Maybe something about the club I was in? I walked there, not knowing what I’d talk about but I went there. After all, I had nothing else to do.
Instead, I was introduced to what would become one of the most meaningful experiences of my life. A workshop for SEE-passed students was being planned, and I was going to be a part of it. The thought of contributing something right after graduating myself felt exciting. So, I said yes. And that was one of the best decisions I made in my whole life.
Next morning, 8 AM sharp, I was back at college. I found out I’d be working with other students like me. Our little team of student counselors was born.
The early days were straightforward, we were giving workshops on presentation and public speaking, with more teachers than counselors, and conducting visits just occasionally. But as SEE students and their parents began touring the college, that’s when the real work began.
I took charge of guiding science aspirants, showing them around the labs, explaining the academic systems. Our college had so much to offer, cutting-edge labs, modern teaching styles, and a focus on practical learning and research. So much, that my throat would be dry after every visiting session. It felt good to be part of something that big.
But let’s be real. As the days passed, the workload multiplied. It multiplied by a LOT. We were juggling workshops and campus tours, sometimes having to pause one to handle the other. With just four of us at the start, it got intense. But the exhaustion came with reward, every end of the day had tired yet genuinely smiling faces, making small little vlogs, counting how many days we’d worked. And more than once, that smile was thanks to a surprise bowl of ice cream at the end of a long shift.
We talked, we laughed, we vented. Small chats, jokes with staff, and insider gossips about the quirkiest students or parents we met. It became our world, and the only thing we’d speak other than introducing our college. And making TikToks, that too.
As the team grew, we learned to collaborate, lead, and divide responsibilities, essential 21st-century skills I wouldn’t have picked up in a traditional classroom. Working with people you don’t always agree with? Tough. But necessary. And ultimately transformative.
At one point, we had over a thousand students visiting us in a day. Chaos? Sure. But within that chaos, there was structure, leadership, and teamwork. We were building a platform for students to explore Uniglobe. And in doing so, I was building myself.
Uniglobe didn’t just give me a chance to guide others, it gave me the platform to discover my own voice. I learned how to lead, how to manage, how to pace myself, and perhaps most importantly, how not to burn out, or work myself to sickness.
I’m not a morning person. But when college starts at 6AM, you either adapt or collapse. I adapted. I started eating healthier, sleeping better, and running upstairs 20-30 times a day certainly gave me some bonus cardio. More than once, we made sure no one was overworked, because when one fell sick, the rest of us felt it.
Uniglobe gave me a safe space to make mistakes, take initiative, and grow. I wasn’t always right. We didn’t always agree. But we always moved forward. And somehow, it all worked out.
The juniors may have groaned a bit when we gave them assignments, maybe they didn’t like our tone once in a while, but they saw it too: once the machine was moving, it moved smoothly. We were building something that would stay with us for a long while.
And despite the occasional frustration, when we sat back at the end of the day with coffee from the coffee machine and ice cream, every struggle felt worth it.
No, I didn’t get to travel like some of my friends did during break. And yes, some days I felt burnt out. But when I look back, none of those moments I missed matter. What I remember is: The satisfaction after a successful day, reading the positive feedback that the students would write about us, the teachers who trusted us, listened to us, and laughed with us, the welcoming staff who made even the toughest days easier, the friendships that blossomed from shared exhaustion and frustration and the confidence that slowly but surely built within me.
These were the best academic experiences I’ve ever had, not just because of what I learned, but because of how I learned it. This was practical education at its peak.
The college gave me what every student looks for after SEE: direction, and a platform. If you’re confused, if you don’t know what path to take, I’ll say this, this is the right place to start.
From a student who doubted himself to someone who now walks with certainty, with something that will be with me for the rest of my life, with one of the best academic experiences, this transformation isn’t just my doing. It’s a result of being in an environment that nurtured me.
I leave Uniglobe as someone I never thought I could become. And I know these two years, especially these 50 days, will echo through everything I do from now on.
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