“The pursuit of happiness is the central focus for me. Whatever that may be, or however, that may manifest itself in the future, since I feel my goals are pretty dynamic – I also think happiness should generally persist in whatever I try to do.”
Anderson W. (‘24) joined ISKL in Grade 9 amidst the pandemic, having lived in the USA, the United Kingdom, and Korea before coming to Malaysia. He has an avid interest in film editing, has taken part in the IASAS Culcon recently, is an editor for the PAWdcast Club, and plays baseball and cello in his free time.
Here is Anderson’s story:
Tell us more about yourself?
I was born in the U.S, Maryland, but soon after my birth, my family moved to Chicago, where I lived until I was three. After that, we moved back to Maryland, around the DC suburbs.
In 2012, my family moved to Korea, and I started Elementary School at Yongsan Int. School of Seoul until we moved back to the US in 2015. After two years, I started Middle School at the American School in London in the summer of 2017. Following those three years in London, I started my freshman year at ISKL amidst the pandemic, and I plan to stay in KL until graduation.
Do you participate in any co-curricular activities at ISKL?
I just recently returned from the IASAS Art and Film, which was a great experience, I learned a ton, and it was cool meeting everyone from different schools.
I also participated in the Bangkok Strings Festival a few months ago, which was fun. I’ve started conditioning and baseball practice again in anticipation of IASAS Baseball. (I’m a pitcher, and I’ve played the sport somewhat consistently since I was 5 or 6).
Additionally, I’m one of the (too few) editors for the PAWdcast club, so we cover major events, most recently, IASAS and Ifest. We’ve been trying to move closer toward a traditional “podcast” format.
Any plans for after you graduate ISKL – what would you like to do?
Ideally, I’d like to attend the University of Oxford in the UK, specifically Lincoln College, where I plan to read History. I have a keen interest in modern European History, fostered in many diverse instances in certain stages of my life.
Can you tell us more about your other hobbies and interests?
As I mentioned before, I started playing baseball when I was pretty young – I think I participated in a “fall ball” season and the actual season every year. Especially in the post-pandemic context, I don’t play as much as I used to, but the sport has remained a central focus of my life.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, I picked up editing, realizing I had a particular talent and love for it, so I pursued it heavily. I was primarily self-taught, and over my sophomore year, I grew exponentially as a producer and filmmaker. This year, I decided to take Higher Level (HL) Film, which I enjoy, and IASAS Film, which I had mentioned before.
I also quite enjoy music, namely playing the cello, but I also recently picked up composing, where I draw a lot of inspiration from Haydn, Mozart, Kozeluch, etc. I plan to submit a fully furnished quartet for IASAS Music later this year, a piece I spent the better part of around ten months writing.
Do you have any thoughts on your career pathway?
Not really, but I’m considering a future in law or the federal government.
What are your hopes and dreams for the future?
The pursuit of happiness is the central focus for me. Whatever that may be, or however, that may manifest itself in the future, since I feel like my goals are pretty dynamic – I also think happiness should generally persist in whatever I try to do.
Most memorable moment at ISKL?
I think IASAS, or trips abroad to other schools that ISKL has been able to facilitate, have been some great memories. The short trip to the International School of Bangkok (ISB) for the strings festival also comes to mind.
Thus, in general, those times when a group of students, who may not know each other very well, can bond in ways the traditional school setting can’t accommodate are some of my best memories here.
Please tell us more about the Minecraft (MC) activities you organized and the video editing you’ve done.
I’ve since moved away from MC and the gaming club to some extent, directing my time towards other interests. Specifically, I am taking editing more seriously, extending it to a broader context.
What does “Know yourself, care for all, and create a better world” mean to you?
Knowing yourself speaks loudest or at least resonates most with me. By that, I mean understanding yourself in the context of your limitations and shortfalls, ability and skill, etc., is vitally important in determining your life’s overall outcome and satisfaction.
Do you know of any student, teacher, parent, or staff who always have an anecdote to tell, love to share some insights into their passions and interest, or simply is a Panther through and through? Nominate them to be featured in our Panthers of ISKL stories by sending in your submissions here.
