Written by Shradha (Class of 2026)
UWC, as a movement, exists to unite people across cultures and differences, and MUWCI, as a school, reflects that mission by bringing its students together into one community. Yet, in the rush of everyday life, it is not often that we truly pause to feel this spirit of togetherness. That is where MUWCIllympics comes in.
Deep in the heart of the MUWCI jungle, MUWCIllympics is an annual inter-Wada sporting and cultural event that brings the entire school together. With different colours and wadas representing us, it holds together the fabric of unity at MUWCI. More than just a competition, MUWCIllympics is a celebration of community, spirit, and belonging — a space where connection matters just as much as winning.
Wadas play a mild role in your life when you are first assigned to live in them. You see the same people every day during check-ins, might cook with them, and hold conversations late at night in the courtyard. But as MUWCIllympics approaches and end-of-term exams come to a close, something shifts. The spirit starts gearing up. You flock together every night to learn chants passed down through generations and to create new ones. You forage through your friends’ closets looking for blue, red, black, green, or white clothes, slowly beginning to feel the weight of wada pride.
The true commencement of the event on Friday marks the official beginning of MUWCIllympics. With wada spirit instilled in you, you try to perform your best in every sport you take part in. Yet, you are quickly humbled when you begin to heckle participants from other wadas, with spirit points looming as a reminder. This is one of MUWCIllympics’ most important lessons: to connect and compete with others while remembering that your opponent is still a person who wants to show up and win for their wada, just like you.
Soon enough, you find yourself chanting for wadas that are not your own, cheering for players from different wadas, and being invested in games that do not even involve your wada. The spirit of MUWCIllympics is not about finding the most competitive wada. Instead, it transforms bonds — between people and within the larger MUWCI community.
People you once haphazardly met during check-ins become some of your biggest cheerleaders. You begin to feel a deeper sense of belonging — not just in your Wada, but at MUWCI as a whole. You learn to celebrate the victories of others as much as your own. In this quiet yet powerful way, MUWCIllympics unites the community, reminding us of what UWC stands for and how that vision comes alive on campus.
