As I wrapped up the end of grade 11, I would say that one of the strongest sensations that I felt could summarise the year would be fulfilment and balance. As only this year our cohort has begun to see the light at the end of the tunnel in terms of covid, it certainly seems like the most memorable year of high school so far given the great variety of opportunities to do CAS-related activities as opposed to previous years. For example, project week consisted of boxing, glassmaking, and stand up paddle boarding which all went according to plan. From this experience I gained many new skills, not limited to a greater understanding of self defence and perseverance that comes from having to try cut class after failing on numerous accounts. It was also a great peer-bonding experience which I can apply further to the academic year as a whole as I feel that some great relationships came out from engaging in creativity, activities and service. I also chose to describe this year as one that provided me with balance as coming out of the year, my priorities don’t seem so rigid. This year I have learnt to dedicate significant time to extracurriculars and social events without feeling a certain sensation of guilt. Although I’ve always been involved in things like gymnastics, marimba moja, and culturama, CAS has shown me that it is an integral part of my education here at UWC and not just a side endeavour that doesn’t contribute to my holistic development as a student. Through this, I believe that I’ve engaged with issues of global importance in that my perception of activities in and out of school have undergone a shift. Balancing responsibilities whilst maintaining/building good relationships is a universal concern, so my biggest hope is to further explore this and thus enjoy the rest of my CAS experience going into grade 12.