More Than Just A Geek
School of Design & Media
Lim Bingjie James
Diploma in Game Development & Technology, Year 3
I’ve always been interested in programming, but I didn’t want to be a stereotypical geek sitting at my desk and programming all day. Being a geek with an active lifestyle was my goal – I enrolled in NYP’s Diploma in Game Development & Technology and the “hardest” CCA in school: NYP Street Workout.
It's safe to say that I have no regrets. Despite the challenges of the CCA, I enjoy pushing myself to the limit. At NYP Street Workout, we learn how to perform a variety of gravity-defying body movements and calisthenics. I was part of the club's executive committee, and I had the honour of performing at NYP Open House and Student Life Carnival. Rehearsing with my friends was a great way to take my mind off programming.
I've also managed to convince my peers to join me and work on fitness goals together!
In my academic journey, I've been lucky enough to receive the IMDA iPoly scholarship and the Apple Worldwide Developer Conference Scholarship. I signed up for the latter on my own and designed an application using Apple’s Swift Playground. I wanted to do something different – so I made an app that allows you to compose and play piano music.
Getting the scholarship allowed me to travel to the US to attend the conference and visit Apple's headquarters I also got to bond with other like-minded scholars and attended training sessions on new technology Apple developed.
During Year Two, I represented NYP in the James Cook University Game Jam competition. My team of four worked for 24 hours on a game and came in third! I even went on a learning trip to Tokyo and made new friends there.
The bonds I have made in NYP are irreplaceable. The friends I’ve met here are fantastic and have stuck by me through these three years. The lecturers here are really friendly and nurturing too. I used to be afraid of asking questions in class – but the lecturers here treat us as friends, and constantly encourage questions and share advice. This has helped me greatly in my learning journey.
I’ve grown so much in NYP, both physically and mentally. NYP’s like my second home; I’m definitely going to miss the place after I graduate.
#BecauseWeCan