OAKS Alumni Spotlight | Welcoming Back Alumna and Author Christy Theodoulou

A former KEQMS and AKS pupil, Christy now holds a law degree from Lancaster University and a Bachelor of Civil Law from the University of Oxford. She lives in London, where when not reading, exploring charity shops, or pondering life’s bigger questions, she continues to feed her passion of writing.

This visit marked Christy’s first time back at AKS since leaving, and walking into familiar spaces brought a gentle wave of nostalgia. Standing in the very hall where she once sat her exams, she admitted laughingly that it felt “a little strange being back in the same hall I did my exams in, it's like stepping into a memory.”

The workshop began with a beautifully delivered reading from her book. Christy then shared openly about the very personal beginnings of her writing journey. She explained that she never imagined she would become an author. Writing, for her, began simply as an outlet, somewhere to place emotions, experiences, and thoughts that needed space. What started as private reflections gradually became stories, and those stories became something she wanted to share.

Christy went on to introduce students to the concept of free writing, a technique that encourages putting thoughts onto the page without rules, structure, or expectations, which is how it all began for her. Students were invited to write freely about anything: a feeling, a memory, a moment, or simply something present in their mind at that exact time. The room quickly filled with focus along with quiet nervousness of the vulnerability of writing so freely, without rules or limitations, something new to the students.

Many students later described the activity as liberating, with one remarking that “it was a freeing experience.” Christy’s calm encouragement and genuine interest in their thoughts helped build an immediate rapport, and some students chose to share their pieces with her.

The next exercise challenged students to take what they had written and transform it by writing in the polar opposite tone. This shift in perspective sparked creativity, reflection, and thoughtful discussion, highlighting how tone can reshape meaning and how writing can act as a powerful tool for understanding oneself.

For Christy, the visit was a special opportunity to return to the place where her own creative expression quietly began. For our students, it was an invaluable chance to explore their writing in a new way and to see how personal experiences can develop into art.

We extend our sincere thanks to Christy for giving her time, her openness, and her talents to our school community. Alumni visits like hers remind us of the lasting connections formed at AKS and the many inspiring paths our former students go on to follow.

To get involved with future alumni events, please contact alumni@akslytham.com.