Born in India, Antra Johary '20, attended ASB for five years, from 8th grade through 12th. "I lived in Bangalore for thirteen years before moving to Barcelona. I would call Bangalore one of my homes and Barcelona my other. Identifying myself with the two places gives me two very different perspectives of life and society; something I appreciate deeply." Antra's younger brother, Advay, is currently a ninth-grader at ASB. Now in her first year studying aerospace engineering at the Technical University of Delft in the Netherlands, Antra took time out to share some reflections from her time at ASB.

How prepared were you after completing the IBDP for university studies?

"I wasn't sure what to expect in my studies due to its specific nature. However, I found that most of the foundations of my classes were topics I had covered in the IBDP."

How challenging was your senior year at ASB last year amidst the outbreak of the Covid pandemic?

"Personally, my senior year and my university applications were not as affected as others since my university's admissions process did not depend on the final IB grades but instead on their own selection procedure."



What experiences or teachers from ASB inspired who you are today?

"A major part of my high school experience was being a part of the Model United Nations (MUN) program. During the IB, I took an active role in BCNMUN as first the USG of Administration and later the Secretary-General. This provided me with the opportunity to work alongside Ms. Villanueva. The experience in itself was very rewarding; however, watching Ms. V work with us, along with the many other things she was in charge of, was inspiring.

I also believe I owe a lot to the math and physics teachers I've had at ASB. My interest (almost passion at this point) for both these subjects would not have been this strong if it weren't for their passion and their way of making these subjects so engaging.

I want to mention Mr. Coyle, my math teacher in 9th grade. Because of him and the way he made the subject so interesting, I decided to pursue a career related to math. My second shoutout would go to Mr. Wager and Mr. Bartlett. They both are exceptional teachers, who (you could tell) really enjoyed the subject and are the reason I am studying engineering today."



Tell us a little about any extracurricular activities you were involved in.

"As part of the MUN program, I learned and improved on a lot of the soft skills necessary today. From public speaking to working in a team, to (in the end) leading a team. For a year, three students (myself included) also taught MUN to 8th grade as their elective. It was quite a learning process for me too as every week while planning for a lesson, we battled with making the class fun and interesting yet informative, all while letting the students know that this environment is one where they can take risks."

In your opinion, what makes ASB special?

"Without a doubt, the people. From teachers to the staff and the students themselves. Coming from my school in India, I never thought I would have such a comfortable relationship with my teachers like I did at ASB. Being an international school, I guess we are used to seeing students come and go, but I don't think we give the students enough credit for being as open and welcoming as we are/were."



How have your university studies been affected by the Covid pandemic?

"All my lectures, classes, and exams are online. However, since I attend a technical university, I have been fortunate to have had two days a week in my faculty to conduct experiments and projects with my mentor group. Unfortunately, due to the rise in Covid cases, the Netherlands has decided to shut down all on-campus days."

What are you thinking about doing after graduation?

"Although nothing is set in stone, I know I want to end up working in a field that helps towards the goal of global sustainability. I definitely want to continue studying for a master's, either in the field of aerospace or otherwise. The aviation and space industry contributes to pollution in the atmosphere and in space too. The aspect of space waste or space debris really intrigues me (and is also one of the factors that made aerospace an attractive choice for me), and working towards a solution for it (as there are none at the moment) is something I am very interested in."

Any advice for ASB high school students?

"Although your time at your university will be nothing short of amazing, cherish this time because you will miss it (especially small things like a meal you don't have to cook yourself). Surround yourself with friends you love because nothing brings a smile to my face like face-timing a friend from ASB. Try your best at everything you do, and you'll be more than fine... just don't procrastinate too much!"



If you could describe ASB in one word, what would it be?

"Growth."



Once a Lynx, Always a Lynx!
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Contributed: December 2020