Ice cold water against my skin. The vile taste of chlorine in my mouth. And that unbearable noise as the crowd chanted my name. Amidst the chaos, I wanted to give up. But I pressed on, finishing the 200m backstroke at our annual Inter-house Gala in last place. All this I did for the love of Hill House.
Hill is one of eight houses at my school, much like a residential college. When I was randomly assigned to it in 8th grade, I felt disappointed. None of my friends were with me, and I was in the awkward position of being a non-boarder at a boarding house. But Hill welcomed me with open arms.
So, in 2018, when nobody wanted to run the 3km race at Inter-house Athletics, I volunteered and broke a record — for being lapped thrice. Yet my solitary participation point actually helped Hill win the Athletics Championship. When I was elected as a house prefect, I strove to go beyond my official responsibility to promote academics and traditions within Hill. I organized a peer-to-peer tutoring programme to mentor struggling housemates and gave presentations on Fr. Eustace Hill, our House’s namesake. Learning about this man who dedicated himself to serving our school, and even lost an arm accompanying students to battle during World War I, I too aspired to be a servant-leader.
This year, I am proud that we managed to win the Overall House Trophy, a culmination of inter-house competitions across academics, cultural activities, and sports. We prevailed thanks to our leadership and camaraderie, finally ending eight years of dominance by our rival house.
Hill House is where I truly experienced our school motto of Lux Vita Caritas. I will uphold these values of light, life, and love wherever I go.
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