Like many others, I instinctively relate the term “courage” to superheroes with omnipotent power to save the world. Although being courageous is usually defined as one’s willingness to face challenges and take action despite the potential of failure or risk, my school has inspired me to assimilate this term as the presence of significant ambition, fearlessness of novelty, and initiative in expanding my established comfort zone.

My school community, the PLC community, motivates me to cultivate my bravery by aiming higher. Entering Year Seven with a lack of self-confidence, I could hardly recognise my uniqueness as an individual in this mass community. The subject of mathematics especially haunted me with its high requirement for logic and acuteness: I was fearful of this subject as my devotion towards it was never proportional to the outcomes. My lack of achievement in this subject discouraged me substantially. Yet such negativity was soon diffused by the support from my teachers. Patiently mending the flaws in my skills and logic, the teachers helped me see my capability to succeed in this subject. What they have imparted to me is not just mere knowledge, but also the ways to build my ambition, such as refining my skill and patience. Therefore, the PLC community inspires me to courageously take initiative in driving my own life.

Given the demand for individuality in our current society, my school community promulgates fearlessness towards thinking outside of the box. In the PLC community, one of the qualities that is considered highly valuable for students to develop is being innovative. While criteria sheets are provided for every academic assessment and project, the teachers at PLC constantly remind us students to not be limited by those set “rules.” One occasion that exemplifies how PLC inspires me to be innovative was the Science Talent Search project, which involves designing and conducting a scientific experiment using the fundamental knowledge learnt at school. Inspired by the topic of Biosphere in Biology, I creatively developed an experimental research regarding a biodegradable replacement for nitrogen fertilizer, winning a major bursary at last. It was through the habit of being innovative that my school community motivated me to develop and made this success possible.

Most importantly, my school community invites me to take on the adventure of broadening my comfort zone in other facets of life. Before entering the PLC community, my comfort zone mainly covered activities related to studying. However, the diversity of opportunities provided by the school encouraged me to take on new initiatives and enthusiastically participate in extracurricular activities such as choir, debating team, and being an editor for the student magazine. Through this diverse range of opportunities, I have been able to become more courageous in leading and socializing with others.

Emboldening me to pursue a better self, the PLC community inspires me to regard courage as a continuous journey, rather than a final goal. Seeing the growing confidence and ambition in myself, it is evident that the PLC community inspires me to be courageous.