Lauren's Portfolio | carpe diem

Dragons Sailing Team – The Beginning

Last Saturday, I tried out for the Dragons Sailing Team for the second year in a row. I had already been a part of the team for a year, and this was my second year trying out. Having already been part of the team, I was already aware of the team dynamics and the way…

Wilde Victorian Characters – Are They the Real Deal?

Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest” is written with much humour intwined in the works as possible. It was written in the Victorian times, and Wilde wanted to find ways to subtly poke fun at their strict society. My favourite line from Act 1, said by Algernon is: “The only way to behave to…

Wilde Jokes

Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest” is full of witty humour, satire, sarcasm and puns – something quite outrageous to be performed in a play in Victorian England. My favourite line, said by Algernon, is: “the only way to behave to a woman is to make love to her, if she’s pretty, and to…

Body of Work: Graphic Novels and Female Shame

Article As a girl myself, I understand the shame felt when we walk outside, the somewhat predator-like looks of men, and the flame of anger at them, wanting to snap back at them, but not doing so for the fear of what might happen. That shame is felt worldwide – female illustrators and authors of…

Fun Home – Alison Bechdel

To me, a graphic text is a comic book, a thing for children, not a serious work of literature to study in class. Though through reading this, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the amount I could analyse from it. My initial thought of comic books are that they were for children, and the main focus…

Identity – Who are We?

I think of identity as one’s personal resonation of their behaviour, but I have also learnt that identity can also be defined by what others think of you. Many people would say different things about me. My friends would say I’m crazy and outgoing, my parents would think I’m a joker, and strangers would…

CAS – The Beginning

CAS is something new that we have to do for the IB, but only in the sense that we have to record our progress. Starting my 3rd year at UWCSEA, I’ve already involved myself with the school programme to the fullest: taking part in outdoor expeditions to Australia, doing school activities in track and field,…

The Millennial’s Guide to Kissing

‘The Millennial’s Guide to Kissing’ seems a rather intimate title for an article, let alone an article posted on the New York Times. But it’s not about any guide to kissing, or hugging, or any sort of intimate gesture. If anything, it’s about the way that millennials (typically) act when faced with possibilities to interact…

Words you can/t use

Ta-Nehisi Coates on words that don’t belong to everyone Ta-Nehisi talks about how some words should not be used by some people. Take the word used to describe black people in North America as an example. He believes the word can be used by everyone. I mean, fair enough, any word can be used…

Personal Statement

I have this lizard keychain on my bag. Green, metallic, and small. Nothing significant, nothing important. At least, not to anyone else. The links holding it together broke a while ago and I panicked because I almost lost it. So I asked one of my friends to weld it back together for me. She asked…