Lim Kok Liang (18S24)

From disinterest to becoming passionate, Lim Kok Liang (18S24) exceeds his own expectations and discovers his unique talent in Mathematics.

Describing himself as a disinterested student while in secondary school, Lim Kok Liang was more than delighted when he realized that he could choose to study the subjects that interested him in junior college, unlike the spread of subjects that he had to take up in secondary school. In secondary school, he could not envision his future direction until he saw what he could aim for when he arrived in JC. At JPJC, Kok Liang had the opportunity to further his passion in Math. He challenged himself by taking on Further Mathematics and explored Computing, a subject new to him. This realization propelled him to stretch himself, and he participated in numerous Math and computing competitions.

Kok Liang’s love for Math was his motivation in JC. Wanting to stretch himself, he took up H3 Mathematics, something very rare for most students. He also participated in the Australian Mathematics Competition 2019 where he achieved a Distinction and won the Best in School Award. When asked why he loved Math, Kok Liang shared “My favourite thing about Math is definitely the problem-solving aspect. The process of trying extremely hard to solve a Math problem and finally getting the answer gives me immense satisfaction. Also, having great Math teachers from primary school all the way to JC helped me build a solid foundation for the subject.” In JC, Kok Liang enjoyed his Further Mathematics lessons tremendously. He fondly remembers his Mathematics tutors, Mrs Heng Tok Foon, with whom he engaged in debates about Mathematics, and Mr Tai Thiam Hoo, for his advice and encouragement.

However, he struggled with his H1 subjects that he admitted he “didn’t have the drive for them”. JC life was not without its challenges. One of the greatest challenge was managing the different demands – the academic subjects, the homework as well as his other commitments such as CCA, and his roles as Class Manager and an Orientation Group Leader. Nevertheless, Kok Liang put in his best in his various involvements. In his CCA, Taekwondo, despite being a relative newcomer to the sport, he represented the college in the National School Games Taekwondo Championships in 2019 for both the Green Belt Team and Individual events. He and his teammates achieved the 4th position in the team competition, and he achieved the 6th position in the individual competition.

Kok Liang remained focused and practiced good time management. He ensured that he was always productive by taking digital copies of his assignments and working on them on his phone while travelling from place to place. He prioritised his time well and avoided games and TV shows. He credits his classmates and teachers for keeping him motivated and focused. According to Kok Liang, “They were the ones who showed care and concern and stuck by me throughout my JC life. They made lessons much more enjoyable and were an indispensable part of my time in JC.” His family and friends from outside college provided him with a lot of support and it was they whom he turned to “to enjoy and distress”, and they gave him confidence and hope.

According to his Civics Tutor, Mr Ariffin, Kok Liang was hardworking and disciplined. He was also selfless, helping his academically weaker classmates. Despite admitting to being stressed by the workload and the many activities that he participated in, Kok Liang remained committed to doing his best.