Taylorian

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TAYLORIAN 2024

my position as Head Monitor seven years ago, which either makes him a great judge of character or a fortune teller of incredible accuracy. Despite his magical foresight, Mr Gibbons was a man not to mess with. He was responsible for getting me to attend The Herrick in the Upper Thirds and for my ability to recite parts of Beowulf in Old English to this day. Whilst not the most useful skill, I owe him for his trust and encouragement. What, in your opinion, defines Merchant Taylors’? It is hard to tell what contributes most to an MTS education, and I suppose that’s the point. The boys’ intellect and resourcefulness is honed through not just the word-class teaching, but also the computer games they code and play during the Hour. The pupils’ competitive nature and gracious sportsmanship is generated through organised sport, certainly, but it is also fostered by playing ‘common room cricket’. I would argue that Taylors’ boys are unique in their ability to not only be academically focused, but to simultaneously pursue wider interests. A regular week for me has always involved rehearsals, dissections, watersports and meetings when not in lessons. I have also made many friends and received helpful guidance thanks to the school’s vertical tutor system. Providing others with the ‘inside scoop’, just as the older boys did for me when I first joined, helps to perpetuate the mutually supportive culture we are so proud of at MTS. Do you have any funny anecdotes you would be willing to share? It is easy to laugh at things after the event, but orchestrating a prank during Phab Week on the Lower Sixth was our idea of ‘Phab Heritage’. Relocating all their belongings to the foyer outside the Great Hall and filling their maths classroom base with inflatable beach toys, hundreds of glow sticks, a disco light, and music while they were in a meeting seemed like an excellent idea to raise their spirits. This was until they realised what had happened and retaliated by ransacking our room. It was a rookie error on our part – we forgot to lock our door! What advice would you give to a pupil further down the school or who is just about to join? Some of the principles I have held over the last seven years are: Set yourself goals and work towards them. This may sound simple enough, but once you imagine who you wish to become, you must take measured and tangible steps to fulfil those ambitions. I often preach

However, being a part of the Phab team is something I will miss. The charity impacts of the lives of so many families, and being able to form such strong relationships with the guests over the past two years, including two very special Phab Weeks, has been very rewarding. The team has bonded over many social events including netball matches in (very short) skirts; two (very long) marathon walks; ‘Revues’ and ‘PhabFests’; and, of course, inevitable fundraising stress. It is a high-performance squad akin to a professional sports team, although we probably get through rather more Pot Noodles and Red Bulls. I also think of my time on the stage. It is safe to say I enjoy the spotlight – probably more than my acting skills warrant. Being involved in The Addams Famil y and FAME amongst other performances – including my acting debut as a Sprite in Shakespeare’s’ The Tempest – has allowed me to not only test my singing voice, but my nerves. Whilst I may not have taken drama at MTS by storm, I am proud to have thrown myself into almost all theatrical opportunities on offer and gained some great experiences and memories. Lastly, I will miss my time in the Art and DT Departments. I have enjoyed continuing my passion for these creative subjects, despite the hours of coursework they have brought me. Hanging my final pieces of work for the upcoming Summer Exhibition puts into perspective how much I have refined my skills and developed my style. I still have some work I produced before joining MTS and am glad to report that they are vastly different to the pieces I produce now. Memories from my time here include late evenings in the workshops and early mornings in the studio. I have lost count of how many tubs of paint I have worked through and mistakes I have made, but I will always be grateful for the support I have been given to experiment, iterate and grow. These spaces have been almost like a second home for me. I hope to continue life drawing and painting alongside my medical career in the future. Who was your favourite teacher and why? Although no longer at MTS, Mr Gibbons was an excellent teacher and mentor. Not only did he adopt a holistic approach to teaching, but his form group – of which I was also fortunate to be a part – still fondly recalls the silly doodles and etchings we were given licence to graffiti his glass boards and whiteboard topped tables with. At the time he had just developed his brand new, ‘Google inspired’ classroom in EN42, and we loved spending time in there. He also predicted

manifestation to motivate yourself to get work done. Try EVERYTHING. Think of the school as a buffet of opportunities to sample. Sticking with this food analogy, do not take each day ‘à la carte’. For you to do well, you must go out of your way to find your calling – rarely is it handed to you on a silver platter. Stay organised. I am often seen carrying my diary and those close to me know that without it I would not have been able to achieve a fraction of what I set out to do over the last two years. Being able to stay on track with deadlines whilst factoring in time for self-care and social outings is key to maintaining a good work-life balance.