A little more than a year ago, when she was preparing for her A-level examinations, Phoebe Lim was at a loss of words whenever there were family gatherings.

The 19-year-old explained: “My relatives kept asking me which course I intended to pursue and what scholarships I was going to apply for after my A levels.

“At that age, I believe most of us are quite clueless about what to go for. It is a crossroad of our lives, with many junctions to choose from. It can be a difficult decision.”

Eventually, Phoebe applied for the NUS Global Merit Scholarship (GMS). She picked the scholarship’s option to enrol in the into University Scholars Programme (USP), where she is now pursuing the Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours) with a major in psychology and a minor in English language. And she has not looked back since.

The NUS GMS is the leading freshmen scholarship award offered by the university to Singapore Citizen students who demonstrate finesse in academic results, intellectual capacity, character and leadership qualities, and a passion for creativity and innovation.

Besides tuition fees, there are annual living and accommodation allowances of $6,000 and $2,000 respectively. There is also a one-time S$2,000 computer allowance, which came in handy when Phoebe purchased her first MacBook.

The USP is an interdisciplinary academic programme that admits 180 students each year. Besides giving them the freedom to explore modules across disciplines, it also provides them with a wide range of extracurricular and overseas opportunities to develop their interests, and introduces them to a community of motivated and talented students.

The scholarship has not only lifted a financial load off Phoebe’s family, it also enabled her to pursue many enriching activities beyond curriculum hours.

“I used part of my living allowance to participate in a Youth Expedition Project to Vietnam last December, where we helped in the construction of houses for poor families. It was an incredibly priceless experience,” she recalled.

The scholarship also has a NUS GMS Enrichment Grant that sponsors scholars wishing to participate in local or overseas enrichment activities. Phoebe is applying for it to fund her trip to the annual Princeton Interactive Crisis Simulation Conference at the Princeton University campus this February.

“I’m very interested in International Relations, and this conference will be a great opportunity for me to learn more about it.”

The best part of the NUS GMS though, said Phoebe, is the absence of a bond.

“This is good for those who may not be sure of which industry or corporation they want to work in upon graduation,” she explained.

“For example, I was first interested in psychology as a subject before being attracted by speech therapy as a profession. I’m sure many people tend to be interested in an area of study first before making decisions about their career later on.

“This scholarship gives them the freedom to do just that.”

With the whole plethora of activities to engage in, there was hardly a dull moment in the past 3 years I spent in NUS. A quote I came across some time ago nicely sums up my perspective: Man's mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions.

At every step of the way there were new things to be learned, new friendships to be made, new challenges to be overcome, and new achievements to be accomplished.

Entering the university as a freshman, I started my two and a half year journey in hall and indulged in the various activities that were part and parcel of communal life. Being part of the community, I witnessed the power of camaraderie and the virtue of appreciating every single individual coming from all walks of life. In my third year, I embarked on a student exchange, which enabled me to broaden my horizons and challenged my global outlook and views. Returning to Singapore, I joined CCAs at the university level, and that made me truly appreciate the vibrancy of the unique varsity makeup, at a brand new dimension.

Throughout the various activities I was fortunate to be given opportunities to hone my leadership abilities, and more importantly, to learn more about myself as a person and life’s true meaning. It is also evident in the various activities that we as students were empowered to initiate new projects and ideas – anything you can dream, you can achieve.

No matter what path we as individuals choose to take, there are plentiful windows of opportunity for us to nurture our personal growth and equip ourselves with skills for life. How much you gain from your experience comes from how much heart you put into it. So don't be afraid to try out new things as you never know what surprise awaits you.

"My experiences in NUS Law thus far have been varied, and extremely rewarding despite coming this close to pursuing an overseas education, Ive no regrets about my decision to stay in Singapore.

Academically, the quality of students and tutors in my faculty have always pushed me to perform at my best in order to match up to their high standards.  I therefore find myself able to think quicker, to be more meticulous, and write more lucidly, due to constantly being in an intellectually stimulating environment.  But alongside the high standards of academia at NUS Law is a culture of willingness to help its students tutors are always contactable via email or even SMS, and are willing to answer students' questions at length.