Starting in high school, I worked with personal mentors in Oxford, where private tutorials in art history transformed a curiosity into a serious intellectual pursuit. The mentor then guided me to Japan, where I conducted my first independent research project, which later led to presenting my work at a leading academic conference in the US. Across New York and Boston, I explored how art, collections, and material culture shape our understanding of the world. Private visits to Christie's further opened my eyes to the world behind cultural institutions. What is far more valuable is the clarity to define my academic path and the confidence to pursue postgraduate study at the Royal College of Art.