Sports Was His Way Out
School of Business Management
Xavier Toh is the School of Business Management’s top graduate. In fact, you could even say that he’s the total package – he’s got the brains and brawn: Xavier is an accomplished athlete and on the national wrestling team. He got into a spot of trouble in secondary school but turned his life around after his eldest sister passed away. In NYP, Xavier was on the Director’s List for five semesters and initiated a social movement within the student gym – Share to Enjoy – to provide sports equipment to students in need. He is the 2018 recipient of the DBS Award and the Diploma in Sport & Wellness Management’s gold medallist.
We dig a little bit more into his life experiences and what his goals are.
1) How did your sister’s passing affect you?
I was in Secondary 2 and facing a lot of problems in school. Simply put, I was a regular face in the Discipline Master’s office. So, when my sister passed away (from an illness that led to organ failure), I decided that enough was enough. From then on, I decided to live my life with meaning and purpose. So far, I think it’s going pretty well…
2) You’re 23 this year – a little older than the rest of your classmates. What was that like?
I’m not that old la… I’m still considered a youth. (laughs heartily) But seriously, some of them saw me as their big brother. They would come to me for advice, from relationships to studies to friendship. I was happy to step into that role because I feel like I have a lot to share with them. The things I went through in secondary school and ITE shaped the person I am now. So if my experiences can help my friends, then I will gladly share.
3) Which was tougher – doing your business modules assignments or training for wrestling competitions?
The worst is actually finishing (or starting) module assignments before or after training for wrestling competitions! What can normally take me a few hours to complete can add up to a few days if it’s competition season. But that’s the reality of being a student athlete, I just have to be disciplined and focus on the task.
4) What is your fav hangout spot in NYP? What’s so great about NYP?
There’s a spot that the Sport & Wellness Management (SW) students ‘unofficially and self-declared’ the SW corner. We just basically sit there, hang out, chit chat while waiting for classes to start.
The best thing about NYP is the global exposure I got. I went to China and Korea and I learned so much on these trips. As a business student, it was a real eye-opener to see how businesses operated in these countries. It’s amazing how so much technology is infused in their operations. I’m really inspired by my experiences on my study trips – definitely pricless!
5) So what’s next for you?
What else, National Service… But I’m excited for the next stage of my life! I’ve been accepted to the Business Schools at the local universities and am carefully considering which one to go to. Wrestling will always have a special place in my life but now, I’m keen to develop myself professionally.
I’m also working towards developing my startup – Travengerhunt.co. Basically, I want to revolutionise the way we travel. So, my team and I are working out the kinks now. But I definitely want to collaborate with NYP at some point down the road. NYP has been great to me and I just want to give back.
#BecauseWeCan