Meet Alisa
Alisa joined the School in Year 8 from a school in Hong Kong. A full boarder and an Academic Scholar, she is studying Art History, Politics and English Literature. She’s a Lance Corporal in the School’s CCF contingent, takes part in the Model UN and in the Creative Writing Club. During Sixth Form, she hopes to introduce a new Zine Club with a blend of humanities, Arts and STEM.
On Creative Writing
Before I came to Headington, I wasn’t really a creative writer, I wasn’t even into Humanities. Coming here, I really enjoyed the lessons I had in English and History and I realised it was definitely my passion and is more suited to the way I write and how I see things. What really inspired me was definitely the teachers, they are passionate about their subjects and they’re willing to help you. You feel comfortable as a student to ask how you can improve. Creative writing is definitely a way for me to explore things. I’m experimenting with poetry which is a good way to explore more emotional or mentally challenging aspects which I would not be able to communicate in other ways. I’ve applied to be an English Ambassador and I’m hoping I can spread the club a bit further through the School. My plan is to keep literature and writing as a hobby but I definitely want to bring the skills I get from creative writing into my future pursuits, maybe in something like Politics.
On boarding
The house I am in now is especially suited to the demands of my education. You have more on your place and there’s a space where you can really go into deep focus work which is really nice. I went through Several of the different houses and they’re all good for different reasons. Davenport, where I started, is great for the atmosphere it creates for the younger years, it’s really nice to be in that environment when you’re younger while Hillstow is a really good mix. All the boarding staff are really nice.
On pastoral support at Headington Rye Oxford
I would definitely like to commend the pastoral team and the wider support they give. Coming from an Asian background where things like mental health aren’t really talked about and then coming to a foreign place where you are isolated from your family connections, the pastoral system really helped me settle in. I would encourage others to look at it more and not be afraid to give it a shot. This is something I have really appreciated about the School.
On what she’s learned about herself
I can do a lot more than I think I can. I grew up in a city so I didn’t have much access to the outdoors, and CCF has given me lots of access to that aln d also pushed me to be a leader and do things I’m not normally comfortable with. The camaraderie with other pupils is amazing. The kind of discipline you get from boarding, CCF and school has made me more independent which is something I value a lot and have worked quite hard to develop. This is a good place to provide a mix of softer skills but also hard skills in a way that isn’t entirely serious. It’s a good relaxation period but it’s also continually developing your skills.
On her goals and ambitions
I definitely want to try going for Head of Boarding and English Ambassador. In terms of CCF, I would like to get promoted to Corporal and just continue with my clubs and open Zine Club. That may seem like a lot but that prompts me to work on my time management skills. I want to enter a few competitions for writing but nothing too serious. I want to keep it as a hobby because pursuing my passions alongside my studies is really important to me. In terms of university, I am thinking maybe Oxford and in terms of subjects, I’ll see how Politics or Art History goes but I am also looking into International Relations, which is something I have been looking into since I joined MUN. Debating and the world stage are things I find intriguing. As a career, currently I am looking into teaching – maybe I’ll come back to Headington Rye Oxford as a teacher one day.
