Panther Trails – French Wongananchai

Name: French Wonganchai

ISB Class: 2019

What university or course are you in at the moment? (any sports teams included) and What career path are you pursuing?

I’m currently studying Vocal Performance at the British and Irish Modern Music Institute London (BIMM) in which aims to develop one’s artistry career.

How would you describe the transition from ISB to your new university? How is the switch from an international school?

It was very smooth and I’m having a great time here in London. It was weirdly exciting at first but as time goes on, I’m used to the new vibe of the city which is very different from Thailand. There are also some ISB friends that I occasionally met once in a while here in London.

Being in an international school really helped me to adapt here; in terms of diversity, the community here is almost similar to ISB. There are many people from all over the world with different languages, cultures, and lifestyles which are quite similar to ISB. So being in an international school played a huge role in accepting and welcoming our differences. 

What’s your favorite activity outside of college? Any new hobbies?

My favorite activity is making music (LOL) and I’m pursuing that as a career. Luckily, I get to do that every day whether it’s in the college or outside of college. I have a recording studio set up in my flat so I get to commit to my favorite activity every single day. It’s a great way to connect with other artists as well since we usually collaborate on a music project. But there are so many things you could do in London. I had a great time catching shows in West End, attending my friend’s gigs, and performing many live shows myself. I also occasionally go out to play football with my friends as a way to distract me from making music.

Do you feel ISB prepared you well for your college experience (both academically and socially)?

Yes. But academically speaking, it’s very different from my experience at ISB. All my classes here are all music-related classes. We don’t have math, science, English which is great for my career focus. I was an IB diploma student, the workload from IB was way higher than the workload here. Although the workload here is much lower but the responsibility of being here is something I have to handle with every day. I have to pay my own bills, plan out my career, and connect with more people. However, the most important thing that ISB has prepared me really well is acknowledging differences among everyone in the community. When I moved here, I found it really easy to connect with other people because the community here is almost as international as ISB.

What advice would you give the Seniors Graduating this year?

Don’t take things too seriously. It’s always good to step back and laugh at the simple things in your everyday life. Listen to my songs if it helps.