#AchievementUnlocked: Sean Tan’s Pursuit for Excellence

Last March 2021, one of our JHS students made it into the Top 30 of the 23rd Philippine Mathematical Olympiad (PMO) and qualified as a finalist. Sean Matthew G. Tan of 10-Solomon made it to the highly competitive and the most prestigious nationwide contest of the best Math warriors in the country.

Sean, a constant participant of many Math competitions here and abroad, has bagged many accolades under his belt. We caught up with him to ask how he finds competing in local and international contests in the new and now normal. He also shares his drive and his motivation for pressing on despite the challenges of the time. 

Teacher (T): What is your experience like in joining competitions in the new normal?

Sean (S): There are two types of online contests. The first type is a contest conducted via a contestant portal where you are asked multiple choice questions or questions requiring short responses only. Some, particularly those provided by MTG, use Google Forms and a monitoring system known as Quilgo. On the other hand, some other contests use dedicated websites, with or without a webcam. The second contest is a paper-scanning type, and it is best used for proof contests or those where we must present our detailed solutions. Typically the proctor will send a Zoom link to proctor the participants, then we spend the rest of the time solving the problems. The first type relies on solving as many problems as possible in the given time; the second relies on prior knowledge and good planning to solve the questions.

T: What has been your motivation for continuously joining contests even though the situation does not seem ideal? 

S: My main goal is to always strive to improve myself. I know that I can never be perfect, but I can be better than how I was by doing these activities. Obviously, I want to be at the top, but that’s very difficult at this level, especially with the caliber of the competitors I face.

T: What has helped you perform the way you do?

S: To perform well, one needs a lot of planning, preparation, and practice. This is the most general advice I can give. For specifics, I find, quite oddly, that lecturing other people and discussing things to them allow me to learn more. Sometimes, especially if the topic is new, learning tends to be one-way. However, it must be two-way for me, so I join many different groups that detail (not dictate) distinguished discussions. I typically download past papers to get a gist of what the contest will be like, and I also refer to my mini-library if I may be stuck. Lastly, I pray to God before and after all competitions to seek His guidance and strength.

T: What challenges did you experience in training / joining competitions in the new normal?

S: One of the main challenges I encountered was that there is, in fact, limited to no training. There are sparse materials, and for the most part, I practice on my own. You can never be too prepared. Even if you practice a lot, some math problems can be tricky. Another is time management. Finding a practice slot in a packed schoolwork schedule is a huge challenge. There’s also the contest timing–either because of the time zone difference or the innate scheduling done which may sometimes coincide with my school time. There are various other issues, like scanner transfers between two rooms, technical issues, and mental preparation to name some; however, the three I elaborated on are the major ones.

T: What is a message of encouragement you would like to share with your fellow students?

S: If there is one take away from this school year, it’s to manage your time wisely and avoid distractions. I really needed to plan. Juggling my studies, my contests, and my family time takes planning, so I maximize all three while making improvements on all of them. School can be tough, and life is even more so. However, remember that God is there with us; He will never leave us nor forsake us. If He helped us survive the disaster that was 2020, He could help us in everything we put our minds to. We just need to believe in Him wholeheartedly. 

 

Sean has shown that with perseverance, planning, prayers, and a strong faith in the Lord, one can rise above the challenges he faces and continue one’s pursuit for excellence. He also recognizes that these obstacles help him to advance and progress in life. May we all be inspired by Sean and his journey–a testament that we can unlock achievement despite difficulties.