Moving to Singapore with your family can be a uniquely challenging experience. Thankfully, it can be quite enriching as well, particularly if you’re finishing your studies at one of the country’s excellent international schools. At a highly regarded Singapore American school, you can expect a blend of American curricula and internationally focused learning that opens up new doors for your academic and professional futures.
However, to gain these benefits, you need to earn them. This not only means looking at the unique opportunities offered by most international schools but also understanding the wider context of life in Singapore. By considering these factors from the beginning, you’ll not only lay the foundations for a more fulfilled life but you’ll also enjoy the time you spend in school. Let’s look at how international students can thrive within the typical setup provided by American schools in Singapore:
1. Set Specific Long-Term Goals
The bare minimum goal in any school is to get one’s diploma. While that is undoubtedly important, setting your own standards will help you better guide your efforts both in and out of school. Once you’ve set goals, it becomes easier to stay motivated and prioritize things that help you inch toward them.
For instance, if you want a career in the performing arts, you might want to enter the right co-curricular programs and put more work into your art and language subjects. Likewise, if you want a tech career, you can use more of your time to study your science and math subjects. This way, you’ll not only excel academically but you can also gain a significant head start over your future college and workplace peers.
2. Challenge Yourself Academically
To continue the previous point, some US-focused international schools offer rigorous academic options that go above and beyond what you’d expect at a typical mainstream institution. For example, in some international high schools, you can choose to pursue the College Board’s Advanced Placement International Diploma (AP), the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP), or the Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC) Diploma in place of or alongside a US High School Diploma. Though completing these programs is not going to be a walk in the park, they can be invaluable in helping you hone valuable critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
3. Engage in Co-curricular Activities
As covered in a previous point, American schools also offer co-curricular activities. Academic benefits aside, partaking in these is a great way to make new friends and learn more about your own interests. They’re also a great way to let off some steam and help you better cope with your move to Singapore.
4. Build Strong Relationships with Your Teachers
International schools, including American international schools, typically guarantee a very low student-to-teacher ratio, precisely to enable teachers to better support each student. Taking this opportunity to develop good relationships with your teachers can make it easier to gain valuable guidance, mentorship, and support in what is likely going to be a challenging time.
5. Manage School Stress with a Study Plan
As you might have guessed, the higher academic demands of American international schools often mean having to organize your workload. Starting a detailed study plan should help you break down your tasks into manageable chunks, preventing stress and ensuring you stay on top of your assignments.
6. Prioritize Having a Healthy School-Life Balance
Balancing academics, extracurricular activities, and personal time is crucial for both your mental health and holistic education. If you’ve always been an academically oriented student, you may want to consider allocating more time for hobbies to avoid catastrophic burnout. With better mental health, you may even gain a sense of perspective that translates into better academic performance over time.
7. Build a Support System Inside and Outside of School
Making new friends should be a priority for you, particularly early into your relocation and especially if you’ve never been enrolled in any international school. Regardless of how well-prepared you are, you will almost certainly be facing serious culture shocks alongside your various academic and personal challenges. Find friends wherever you can so that you have the support you need to navigate the ups and downs of your new life.
8. Get Involved in Your School Community
Learning can become more fulfilling if you engage with your school community. Though attending events and participating in school traditions can seem like a hassle, they do serve a purpose, enhancing your sense of belonging. You don’t have to participate in everything but doing your part to keep the school spirit alive can pay off by giving a deeper meaning to your education.
9. Take Full Advantage of Any Available School Resources
Most American international schools, including those in Singapore, are well-equipped with libraries, innovative and creative spaces, counseling services, and extracurricular programs. These resources are there to support your academic and personal growth, so you might as well use them.
Thrive in Your American School and Unlock Your Full Potential
The tough but fair academic approach of American schools in Singapore can mold you into an astute and holistically developed adult. Taking on these challenges successfully, however, will require you to take the lead in your education and well-being. Following these tips should help you avoid burnout and keep you from making missteps, both in your move to a new country and in your educational journey as a whole.
