Kei

• Name: Kei
• Country: Japan/China
• Council: Admissions and Events Council

Please introduce yourself.

My name is Kei and I am in 10th Grade. I'm half Japanese and half Chinese, so I've been familiar with both cultures since I was little. My favourite things are watching movies and reading books. I love music and can play the piano and violin. I lived in Italy for a year when I was in kindergarten, so I also like classical music and appreciating art such as Western paintings.

What made you choose to study at NIC?

I wanted to be an active member of the international world, so when I was in middle school, I specifically considered going to an overseas university. Because of this, I felt that going to an international school where classes are taught in English would help me improve my English language skills and quickly get used to an environment similar to that of an overseas university. I also love being around people and want to talk to people from all over the world. In addition, the unique features of NIC, the case method and the International Baccalaureate, were also deciding factors for me.

What is your favourite thing about being part of the NIC community?

What I think is great about NIC is the warmth of the people. The seniors I live with at the dormitory are all really kind, helpful, and friendly, so I was able to quickly become friends with them. In addition, since our members are very international, we are able to share different cultures with each other and have encounters that will always lead to learning. Also, the teachers at NIC are kind and very polite, and when I speak in class, they respect and accept the opinions of the students, so I am able to speak actively in class. My teachers also taught me the importance of not being afraid of failure and learning from it. That's why I came to NIC and gained confidence in myself and the ability to express my opinions clearly.

What made you decide to join the student council? What skills do you think you can acquire and how can it help you achieve your goals in the future?

Participating as a staff member at NIC's summer school last year was a great opportunity for me. At the beginning of the summer school, the participants seemed anxious and nervous, but as time went on, they started to respect me, consult with me, and open up to me. I felt very happy because of that! From this experience, I felt the joy of interacting with people more, and I started to want to let more people know about the greatness of NIC. I also think that by joining the admissions council, I will be able to acquire communication skills and greater compassion. I don't just want to interact with people, but I want to build special and meaningful relationships with people, so I think these skills will be useful.

What do you want to be in the future? How can NIC and your role in the student council help you achieve this goal?

Although I haven't narrowed it down to just one dream, I am interested in acting. I'm good at empathizing with people's emotions, so I thought it would be interesting to translate that into acting and so one of my current goals is to attend an art university. Besides theater, I also want to study psychology because I am interested in the human mind. Through this student council, I have learned communication skills, which I feel will be of great use in the future when I have opportunities to interact with more people. I also think that the skills of thinking about other people's feelings and responding to them accordingly will be useful in the future.  

What advice would you give to someone who is considering joining NIC?

Be confident in yourself, your imagination, and your opinions; you should try new things without any fear of failure. Your individuality has value and you are irreplaceable! NIC will provide you with many opportunities to demonstrate your uniqueness so I look forward to the day that you become part of our community!