Thinking back on the past four years, it is difficult to put so many thoughts and emotions down into words. Looking back at my freshman year, I could never have envisioned things to play out the way they did. This has always been a belief of mine—the future is uncertain and unpredictable. Rather than struggle to resist and control what we cannot, we prepare as best as we can and make the best of what we get. I think that a global pandemic, amongst many other events over the past four years, has reinforced this belief and allowed me to grow tremendously as a person.

Like many others, I was drawn into physics by a desire to comprehend and understand the universe. I think it is fair to say that physics is not an easy subject. Nevertheless, (in my biased opinion) it is the most satisfying and rewarding discipline to dive into. While there are still tons of mysteries and unexplained phenomena, to be able to see and understand a small part of the natural world through the lens of physics is absolutely amazing. Lectures at NUS are high quality and excellent. In many lectures, I left with the knowledge that I have yet still much, much more to learn, which motivated and fuelled me on.

At NUS, the opportunities to explore physics outside of coursework are plentiful—one just has to keep an eye out for these opportunities being broadcasted. Personally, I was part of the CERN Summer Student Programme 2022 and the KEK Summer Student Programme 2023, where I was able to spend a summer at CERN in Geneva, Switzerland and at KEK in Japan doing research in experimental particle physics. These experiences gave me the chance to meet students and researchers from all over the world, broadening my horizons and allowing me to learn physics beyond the classroom and lecture halls.

My advice to current (and future) undergraduates: there are no shortcuts in life. To do well, there is no substitute for hard work, focus and perseverance. At times, we might be frustrated at ourselves for not being able to understand a concept or solve a problem. In times like these, take a step back, refocus and slowly make headway but never give up nor take shortcuts. At the end of the day, we are in charge of our own growth and learning. Find friends to walk this journey with, and do not be afraid to try out new things!

Having now completed my bachelor’s degree, I will next be pursuing a master’s degree in theoretical physics at the University of Cambridge. This will prepare me for PhD studies in theoretical physics in the future. Finally, I am forever grateful to everyone who has been with me in my undergraduate journey! To all current and future undergraduates—all the best! I wish you a memorable and fruitful time here at NUS Physics!