The Class of 2021
The school year 2020-2021 was far from ordinary due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Physical classrooms were replaced with Zoom and Google Meet; textbooks were substituted with e-books and digital modules. There was no more after-class get-togethers, no more actual study groups. Extracurricular activities were very limited. Virtual graduation were held in lieu of traditional ceremonies.
While it was a tough year for everyone, the Class of 2021 from two of the country’s most prestigious educational institutions—International School Manila and British School Manila—remains optimistic. With their determination, passion and ambitions, these students are ready to face the challenges of university life. Tatler speaks with them to know where they’re heading.
YANA PO
Brown University
Growing up immersed in the uniquely Spanish-Chinese influenced urban landscape of the Philippines, I was inclined to pursue architecture. However, by studying art—particularly, ancient art where functionality is as lauded as aesthetics—I was drawn to the study of culture and human beings. To me, architecture and sociocultural anthropology are symbiotic because to construct things for people, it’s equally important to understand them.
Still, I want to take advantage of Brown’s philosophy of intellectual risk-taking and widely explore its open curriculum.
Environmental science and urban studies are fields I also intend to delve into during my time at university. I hope to translate my studies into sustainable solutions at home through socially-conscious green architecture.
How was high school during a pandemic?
Two years of online studies have required ample adaptation and communication. But it was exciting to watch the Class of 2021 unite to formulate creative solutions.
The stand-outs to me were our virtual Filipinana celebration in December and Battle of the Bands (BoB) in early 2021. As vice president of the Philippine Cultural Club and media director of BoB, I led my teams in transforming behind-the-scenes compromises and hard work into events that reunited the community. The Likha Project, a small art-oriented service organisation I founded in sophomore year, hosted a series of successful fundraisers for low-income students and Covid-hit households including an auction, commission service and a Philippine-themed colouring book.
Graduation online was initially disappointing; but celebrating the occasion away from home was still a wonderful experience, thanks to my family and friends.
What are you most excited for?
Everything! I’m looking forward to meeting new people and exploring new places. Friends from Brown have enthusiastically relayed their adventures in College Hill to me, and I’m thrilled to be embarking on my own. I’ve also heard excellent things about the food scene in Providence!
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Possibly pursuing a master’s degree in architecture or getting involved in local green architecture projects like Kubo. Or, maybe my curiosity and Brown’s intellectual risk-taking philosophy will get the better of me and I’ll graduate in a completely different field! I can say with relative certainty that in the future, I hope to return to the Philippines and utilise my education to help my countrymen. What form this will take—green architecture or