This series allows our community to connect with our alumni and learn the great work they are doing around the globe. The XLIS mission to enable confident, open-minded global citizens is evident in their lives.
Years you have studied at XLIS?
I studied at XLIS from 2019 to 2024, from MYP 3 through DP 2.
What brought your family to XLIS/Xi’an?
When my family began looking for a school, my parents wanted a place that could give me both strong academics and an international mindset. Among all the options, XLIS stood out very clearly. The IB curriculum, the overall teaching quality, the professionalism of the teachers, and the school’s reputation in the city made it feel like the best choice. XLIS wasn’t just seem like a good school on paper; it felt like the place where I would be pushed to grow and also well supported. That’s why we ultimately chose XLIS.
Where are you located now?
Since graduating from XLIS, I have been studying at the University of Melbourne.
What are you doing now?
I am in the Business School, majoring in Finance. Moving to a new country and adapting to university life has been challenging but also very exciting. The IB experience and the skills I developed at XLIS such as critical thinking, research, and time management have helped me a lot in keeping up with lectures, tutorials, and assessments. Outside of classes, I am exploring the city, meeting people from many different backgrounds, and thinking about how I can connect what I learn in finance to real-world economic and social issues.
What’s your fondest memory of XLIS?
My most unforgettable memory is my final year in DP2. There were only seven of us in the class, so we became very close. We celebrated each other’s small victories, complained about deadlines together, and encouraged one another when things were tough. Because the class was so small, everyone’s personality really stood out, and we built very deep friendships. Even now when I think about late-night revision and joking with my classmates in the hallway, it feels like a very special chapter of my life that I will always treasure.
Please share a story on how you are still making a difference today.
In Melbourne, I try to make a difference in a very simple way – by looking after friends when they first arrive. A lot of my friends feel a bit lost in their first few days here, so I usually go with them to get a SIM card, open a bank account, buy a Myki and figure out how to get around. I’ll show them the shops near where they live and some places I like to go myself, and share little tips I’ve picked up about day-to-day life here.
It’s nothing big, but I like seeing them relax a bit, feel less stressed, and slowly treat Melbourne as “their” city too. If my experience here can make my friends’ start a little easier, I feel like that’s already a good way to keep making a difference.
