The past four years in the Department of Physics had been enjoyable and enriching. I know for a fact that the great team of passionate and engaging instructors, and the various opportunities provided by the department changed me not only as a student of physics but as a person as well.

The mentors that I met here during my academic journey taught me to appreciate that the process of learning is a lifelong one and that we should not, for fear of failing, hold ourselves back from learning about what we know not of. I have learnt to apply this in my life and am finding joy in all the new hobbies I have picked up.

The most memorable opportunity I took was in the second semester of my third year when I went to Osaka University for a student exchange programme. It was during this programme that I got to develop myself personally when I learnt about the limits I had set upon myself and had my worldviews forcibly yet refreshingly expanded in a short span of six months.

Currently, I am pursuing PhD in String Theory under A/Prof Tan Meng Chwan in the Department of Physics. My experience in NUS has definitely played a large role leading to this. I had the good fortune of being mentored by Emeritus Prof Lim Hock for my final year project. He shared with me not only the hard and soft skills required to do well in research, but most importantly, his vast (and interesting!) experience as a researcher. My interest in research was further fuelled after being inspired by him.

I am blessed to have with me a close group of supportive family and friends. Their support is my inspiration to be a better version of myself than I was yesterday and keeps me optimistic for the future that is yet to come. I know that there are fellow graduates who have been hit hard or are going through their lowest times having graduated in this pandemic year. However, I believe as we all do our very best, at the very least, we will be able to overcome and do well in future no matter what!