I first heard about SOTA through a friend that had wanted to apply there! I hadn't really known about the school before since I went to an international school and was interested in the way the curriculum integrated the arts and academics together. I've always been the kind of person who wants to think outside the box and I felt that maybe SOTA would help me achieve that. I decided to apply to SOTA keeping all that in mind and hoping that it would help me develop my skills in something that I was passionate about.

I've always loved people and tried to understand them. I just love the idea of delving deep into the mind of a person and exploring their thoughts and views, and I love writing because it allows me to do this. When I write, I can be anybody and understand anything. Writing has always been a way for me to process the world around me which is oftentimes confusing and overwhelming. I chose to specialise in Literary Arts to better understand how I could do this in a more coherent manner. It was a great opportunity to turn my raw, messy, emotional works into something that was worth being read and shown.

Something I enjoy about lessons at SOTA is the way arts are integrated meaningfully into the curriculum. I've always felt that at SOTA, everything I'm learning can be applied back to my art form and can be applied in everything I do. I've also really enjoyed the emphasis on critical thinking. My teachers always encourage the class to share their opinions and figure out novel ways to do things, helping to develop my own opinions and think for myself. For example, in this year's Literature class, we're studying a play called the House of Bernarda Alba. The arts integration with the Theatre faculty has really helped me better understand the dramatic devices in the play and understand the motivations of each character. This, in turn, has assisted me in processing the playwright's commentary on society as a whole better.


Durva (2nd from right) at SOTA’s National Day school celebrations (2021)

I've had many memorable experiences during my four years at SOTA, such as the Literary Arts showcase we did last year, celebrating the launch of the online anthology that contained all our work. As we headed down to the Etch & Bolts cafe, there was this distinct air of anticipation present as we all read our works out loud in front of the entire cohort. To me, it felt special giving a speech representing all the student editors that had helped craft the anthology. And when the anthology launched, it felt like all the work that I'd put in for the past three years had culminated and finally paid off.

Another great experience was being an Orientation Group Leader (OGL), where I was the head of the Admin committee and helped design the programme booklets. It was a personally rewarding experience as it felt like I was giving back to the school and helping unite my juniors the way my seniors had done to us. As many of my fellow OGLs were members of the Leadership Academy (LeAd), I was able to bond both with them and with my juniors.

Of course, being a SOTA student is not all plain sailing. With my artform, academics, and extracurricular activities, I often have very little free time in the day. It can be challenging having to balance my own mental health needs, sleep, and relaxation with all my commitments. I've been able to overcome it by becoming more organised and planning my time better, while also utilising my support system of friends and leaning on the school community too.

Despite these challenges, however, I have never regretted coming to SOTA because of the incredible school culture. I appreciate how much people go out of their way to get to know each other and how much people genuinely want to understand everyone. The biggest draw of SOTA culture is its caring attitude. When we are nearing the exams period, the community comes together to give each other snacks and share tips. Everyone takes care of one another.


Durva (left) at a LeAd programme under the SOTA Kindness Initiative (2021)

At SOTA, I've truly met so many different people from so many different cultures and backgrounds which has really broadened my perspective of the world. The arts have a way of bringing people together and having this common passion has united me with different people and helped me understand their perspectives.

After I graduate, I hope to go into Medicine or something linked to the sciences. My time here has shown me the value of integrating the arts and academics and deepened my desire to give back to the community, and I aspire to positively impact the people around me in the future. If SOTA has taught me anything, it is that growth continues well outside the classroom.

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In Literary Arts, students learn to critically appreciate a range of literary works from the point of view of a writer, and to ideate and create original works. They will explore a range of literary forms such as prose, poetry, and drama, as well as a variety of writing forms, like short stories, playscripts, comics, creative non-fiction and different types of poetry.

Students in this four-year creative writing programme will learn the conventions and techniques of each form to understand how to apply these in their own writing. They will also learn to discuss and reflect on the choices they make in writing and editing.

Find out more about SOTA at our e-Open House, held online from 9 April to 17 May 2022 HERE.

READ OTHER STUDENTS' EXPERIENCES.❖ Photos provided by Durva Gautam Kamdar