I would like to add that this journey to Oxford University was absolutely amazing and definitely an experience of a lifetime. I will always remember the times I spent there making new friends and independently exploring the world while grasping at my chance of freedom. I learned so much about the IB diploma, different cultures, how it is to live in a university, and how important the environment is around you. I gained so much knowledge of what it really is like to live at Oxford and the chances of being accepted into the university. Even though it is very difficult to be selected for an interview, being student at Oxford University will always be a part of my dreams.
For those of you out there who also have similar goals, don’t let anyone ruin your dreams. Even if your chances are slim, there is still a chance to accomplish whatever you want as long as you have the determination to stand up for what you want and/or believe. No matter how many times a person pushes you down, stand back up and fight. Think about all of the positive aspects and your advantages. Think optimistically. As long as you believe in yourself, you can accomplish anything.
I have already achieved one of my main goals, and that was being accepted into the school I now attend. When I first moved to Norway and went to a Norwegian school, my grades weren’t perfect. I struggled in Norwegian with a starting grade of 2 (equal to around a D in American grades). I was okay in everything else, especially in English, but I had a problem: I wanted to be accepted into an IB school. The minimum grade point average to enter the class was 5,0 (equivalent to a 3.8 GPA). For the next two years, I studied and took extra language classes for my Norwegian. I also did all of this while competing in at least two handball games a week, playing two instruments, and participating in school clubs. My grades grew higher and higher as the years passed by. At the end of my last year in middle school (10th grade), I accomplished a GPA of 5,1. I was ecstatic and genuinely proud of what I had accomplished. I not only achieved my goal, but also went as far as leading a school club and improving my handball skills.
Now that I take the IB, I feel as though there is still so much for me to accomplish. I have a whole two years’ of work laying in front of me. The stress has already begun to take place, but I’m still starting the year off strong.
My High School Journey 