27 Apr Looking back at their time at Woodstock!
With the Class of 2018 quickly approaching their Graduation, we caught up with the three students – Jayant Singh, Abhishek Bhandari and Avanya Joab, who have been at Woodstock the longest to find out what they would miss!
How long have you been in Woodstock?
Jayant: 15 years
Abhishek: 8 years
Avanya: 12 years
If you could be anywhere else right now, where would it be?
Jayant: Home, I guess. (Agra)
Avanya: Nowhere else.
Is there a certain place in school which reminds you of your initial years?
Jayant: The playground
Abhishek: The gym
Avanya: The quad
Do you ever plan to come back to Woodstock in the future to work, etc?
Jayant: My friend, Karsten and I want to come back here in 10 years to work together.
Abhishek: Not to work, but to visit.
Avanya: I do not want to work here, but I will definitely visit. It is home, after all.
What will you miss most about Woodstock?
Jayant: The freedom we have.
Abhishek: The community and the teachers.
Avanya: The whole ’Woodstock’ feel.
Is there anything you wish was different about your schooling experience?
Jayant: I wish I could be with my boarding friends. Being a boarder seems like the best part about our school and I wish I experienced that.
Abhishek: I wish I could be around my boarding friends more often but I also have a lot of freedom at home, so no complaints.
Avanya: I wish Woodstock people didn’t leave as much. I’ve lost many friends in the past as they only come to the school for such a short time.
What do you hope to do after graduation?
Jayant: Go to college in Canada and settle there, hopefully with a wife.
Abhishek: Study and work in Canada.
Avanya: Live life!
What do you engage in outside the classroom?
Jayant: Theatre & Yearbook are two of my most significant commitments, alongside music. I have hidden talents that the school should really know about.
Abhishek: I usually play basketball and run cross-country.
Avanya: Hanging out with friends, listening to music, dancing.
Who do you admire most in Woodstock?
Jayant: My father. The way he tirelessly handles situations and the reputation and respect he has in the community. I wish to have the same one day.
Avanya: My father. The reason we came to Woodstock was for mine and my sister’s education and my parents relocated because of that. I also have tremendous respect for the teachers that I had in junior school as they helped me become who I am today.
Tell us about your fondest memory at Woodstock.
Jayant: I broke a window in a classroom once. I don’t remember why. After that, my dad had to pay for all the windows but it was fun to do because I was with friends.
Abhishek: Grade 6 lucknow trip. If I could go back to any day in the past, or relive any trip, it would be that one.
Avanya: I have too many, really. BBBS is an important one. Jefferson Wu’s sister was my “big sister” and I met her recently and she still remembered me. Also, 6th grade activity week was the best ever.
Would you recommend Woodstock to other people? Why or why not?
Jayant: Why not? Where else will you get freedom like this?
Abhishek: Definitely! Because of the diversity in the community. Woodstock is pretty diverse and we won’t be able to experience this anywhere else.
Avanya: I would recommend it because you get so much exposure and you can pick and choose what you want to do/be.
Who is your favourite teacher?
Jayant: Ms. Cook – my elementary school teacher.
Abhishek: Ms. Shonila Chander. Everyone knows who she is.
Avanya: Mrs. Thomas, first ever teacher and Ms. Nicole today.
Do you regret doing/not doing something at school? (For example, not joining a sports team, etc.)
Jayant: Not going down to dorms more often. I did that more this year but wish I started earlier. Missed out on a lot of opportunities.
Abhishek: From 9th till 11th grade, I never went to SAC events down in dorms and I wish I did that. We probably would’ve made many more memories.
Avanya: Not auditioning for a role in a play.
How do you think you would be described now as compared to how you’d be described in ninth grade? Have you developed positively or negatively?
Jayant: I’ve grown with respect to height and weight and I’ve earned some respect.
Abhishek: We’ve all grown positively and have learned more things.
Avanya: I’ve become more confident – still a little shy but I’ve become more confident about myself.
What is the biggest challenge you’ve overcome?
Jayant: Stage fright. It was tough but I was able to overcome that by auditioning in plays and socializing more.
Abhishek: Initially, it was tough to fit in but it happened better in high school.
Avanya: Advocating for myself and talking up.
What advice would you give to students graduating next year?
Jayant: Don’t slack off in 12th grade. It might seem chill but it’s the most important year of your life. You use this year to prove to yourself what you really are. Be responsible and show off the best in you. Perform 110%.
Abhishek: Enjoy your time as much as you can. Be involved in everything.
Avanya: Enjoy everyday. Studies do matter but have fun too. These days won’t come back.
Moving forward, will you be looking for a busy city or a serene environment like Mussoorie’s?
Jayant: I wanna explore every part of the world. Rural, urban, countryside, everything.
Abhishek: Having spend so much time on a hill, I want to live the city life now.
Avanya: Wherever life takes me! The people matter not the place.
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