EILIS SHEAHAN, 18

Father John Redmond C.S.S. (Calculus and Vectors, English, Chemistry, Physics, Advanced Functions; Religion); heading to Queen’s University (engineer- ing)

How does one get 100 per cent in English?

Honestly, this is a question my parents have asked me, too, and I don’t really have an answer. This year, in English, it was just a lot of listening to the feedback that my teacher would give me and then implementing that and going above what they ex- pected.

How do you fuel a study ses- sion?

I’m a big tea drinker. I also find going for a walk midway through really helps.

How did the pandemic impact your academics?

In some respects it made it easi- er because rather than tests, there’d be assignments so you could look at your notes or you’d have a longer period of time to complete things. But the actual learning online was a lot harder, like staying motivat- ed.

How much time do you spend on your phone?

I probably spend three hours a day. A fair bit of it I spend on social media.

What’s been your biggest academic disappointment?

I wasn’t academically that strong of a student until I got to Grade 7. I remember distinctly getting a C on a geography test in Grade 3 and being like, I’m just not going to try anymore. (That changed because) I just discovered subjects that I really enjoyed.

What do people not understand about top scholars?

People think it comes down to just the student and their study habits. But a lot of my success is owed to my teachers and them being so enthusiastic about the subjects they’re teaching. To have a teacher that’s so enthralled by their subject, really draws you in and makes you want to learn.