“I genuinely think activities outside of study are just as, if not more important than your academic side. Try things you have not done before. Do something you are interested in. The experience will 100% help you in ways you don’t expect in the future.”

Meet Atsuya Jojima, an ISA Class of 2013 graduate who is studying Sport and Exercise Science at Loughborough University in the UK.

What were your most memorable experiences at ISA?

Captaining the Bears Football team in my final year and winning the plate in NECIS Tournament was so memorable. Graduation was another moment I’ll never forget. However, lunchtime with my friends in George Jr. is a sweet everyday memory.

What advice or insights do you have for our current ISA students?

It might sound a bit cliche but I would advise them to really enjoy their time. You are only ever in Middle or High School once in your life, so be present and really enjoy it because one day when you are older, you will realise how much you miss your time in school. Not every day is going to be a bright day but enjoy the journey.

I would also remind them to cherish their friends and family. You don’t realise how precious these relationships are until you don’t see them every day in school or at home. My friends from ISA are some of the most important people in my life.

Lastly, I would urge them to be proactive. There are a lot of opportunities both in and outside of school for you to be a part of a club/team/gym/job/class/committee or whatever it may be, so get involved with things outside of study. I genuinely think activities outside of study are just as, if not more important than your academic side. Try things you have not done before. Do something you are interested in. The experience will 100% help you in ways you don’t expect in the future.

How did your time at ISA impact your life?

I made friends that I consider very close and important to me and realised how lucky I am to have a very supportive family and good people around me. Additionally, I felt well prepared academically going into university after completing IB.

What advice do you have for others looking to enter into your field of work?

I study Sport and Exercise Science at Loughborough University, and my future aspiration is to become a performance analyst at a top football club. The reason why I chose this path is that I love sports, I love football and I really like these top-level athletes who are constantly challenging themselves in high-performance environments, and the idea that I could work with these athletes to help them win is so exciting. 

If you love sports or fitness in general, I highly recommend it because it is so much fun. You can explore a diverse set of disciplines that goes behind top-performing athletes (or injury recovery, RTP, or being physically active and healthy), such as physiology, nutrition, S&C, exercise metabolism, psychology, biomechanics, performance analysis etc. 

My advice is:

– Play a sport, go gym, go run, or be active in any way.
– Be curious and learn or try another sport that you have never played before.
– Volunteer to coach or get involved with the sports science team at your club.
– Watch a lot of top-level sports.

The ISA Alumni Spotlight series aims to showcase the journeys of individuals in our student, teacher and parent alumni communities. We ask them to reflect on how ISA made an impact on their life, and to share their advice on how to carry the mission of international understanding.