You're my MVP (:

Tuesday, March 6, 2012 @ 3:23 AM

I still remember something that a friend sent me on the morning of my first paper; which was GP, as i can recall clearly.

"I'm not telling you it's going to be easy; i'm telling you it's going to be worth it."

Indeed, as i know look back at the past 3 year spent in MI with my results slip in my hands, i must say that the A level journey has been the most challenging one for me yet. Hours of cramming content, writing and re-writing essays, consultations after consultations, the frustration that i've felt when i seemed to be stuck and not making progress. I still recall talking to Fikri last year after he collected his A level results, and i was telling him that i felt "stuck" and lost. Even now, i can still remember exactly how that felt like. Yet, looking at what i have today, maybe it was that feeling of loss and being stuck which propelled me to keep going, even when it was so exceedingly exhausting and emotionally draining. That being said, i must say i've met many amazing people in MI. Sure, we may not be a world-class A level institution or anything; but i personally salute the many people who have overcome great obstacles to do well in the A levels. I've always firmly believed that true success is earned, not given. The 2009 batch of MI students has proven that, and more.

Of course, how could we forget our dear teachers? I can safely say that MI has got the best and most dedicated teachers around; where else do you get teachers who will sit down with a students for hours just to listen to their problems, be it academic or personal? Where else do you get teachers who will take time out of their own precious weekdays just to coach their students? No words can express just how grateful i am to our teachers.

As for me, i have to personally thank these people (in no order of importance);

Mr Sim: Although you've never taught me, i must say it's been a real blessing having you as my council head, especially during my term as President. You were always there to ensure that my council workload would not compromise my studies. i still remember how you taught me Differentiation/Integration although you didn't even teach H1 Math! Thank you for your encouragement and for always buying us food! :D

Mr Toh: You're probably the most patient and most gentle teacher i've ever known. Thanks for always being there to listen to my neverending complaints (bet you regretted agreeing to be my mentor ahahaha). Thank you also for always giving me good advice and consultations although you've weren't teaching me in my final year! You were the poor victim who had to put up with my outrageously poor Hydrology essays every single Friday afternoon, without any word of complaint (except for the eye-rolling lol)

Mdm Shamala: Thank you for teaching me how to love Heathcliff and Wuthering Heights, though i still maintain that Wuthering Heights is the most darn outrageous love story ever written -.- I still remember how offended you were when i said during consultation "Heathcliff and Catherine are so stupid!" :D Thank you also for never failing to disgust me with your crazy interpretations of Harold Pinter. I swear you've scarred me for life with some of the things you taught me (I still remember your mother-cutting-off-the-heads-of-her-sons-to-serve-to-her-husband-for-dinner story till this day). I've learnt lots from you though, and thanks to you, i've actually grown to love and appreciate Literature for more than just its academic value! (:

Mdm Cho: Thank you for putting up with my silly male bashing for 3 whole years (Quote from my essay: All men are sexual predators :p) Still, you've never thought worse of me, except to beg that i will stop criticising men in my essays hehe. Your warm hugs never fail to cheer me up, and i really admire your patience although we can be so difficult at times. Your constant worrying and hard work has paid off! 100% pass for literature! (: Other than essay writing, i must say you've enriched my mind and taught me to never take things at face value. Because of you, i see things differently now! (:

Ms Mariya: You're probably the one whom i've had consultations with the most frequently, despite not even being my teacher! I must really thank you for tirelessly marking all of my essays and paper 2 essays, and for always telling me that i've got what it takes although i've just failed yet another test miserably. You were a huge part of the reason why i could regain confidence in GP although everything else seemed so bleak and hopeless. Thanks also for your lovely cupcakes, brownies and cookies, and for understanding that the cure to stress could be as simple as sweet treats! :)

Cheryl: Aunty! Thank you for always being my study partner; i admire your tenacity to go all the way down to City Hall every Saturday to study in the beginning of the year although it's so far away for you! Thanks also for never failing to point out the stupid mistakes i'll make in my study notes (Can you imagine the disaster that would have ensued had you not pointed them out?) The final push for A levels was the most challenging and painful, but i'm glad that i had you there to weather it through together with me! Good job dear, you've earned it! (:

Yue Xiang: All the times when i felt that hope was gone, all the times when i just felt like dying because i was drowning in all the essays i had to do and review, you were the one who was always there to drag me out for retail therapy or for a meal and to encourage me to relax. Thanks also for all your advice and reassurances during the A level period! I still remember how you said you were feeling all the pressure of the As although you weren't the one going through it (probably because of me and my constant whining, sorry) Haha.

Fikri: Thank you for the advice and the constant messages of support and encouragement, telling me constantly that i could do it and that i had it in me (: It really helps to have a person who has been through the A levels to be there for you, and i'm glad that you were always there for all of us!

So it's a whole different ball game now as we move on. Although i can never be sure of the future holds, i am confident that we are ready to face them, whatever they may be.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012 @ 2:49 AM

I'm blogging again after a long time; not because i want to resurrect this dying blog of mine, but i really need to get this off my chest.

I know MI may not be exactly the most prestigious school in the country (in fact, it's far from that). Nevertheless, i think it's wrong of you to be so blatantly skeptical of the school and what it has to offer. You have no right to air your opinions because you're not even from the school in the first place; who are you to judge what is good and not good for others?

And to all those who have had a bad experience in MI and left subsquently, i implore you not to spread untruths around, making others (i.e. current/ex-students of MI) bear the brunt of your comments. While it is true somewhat that the environment in MI may not be an ideal one for studying, i still hold firm to my belief that a person's attitude is influenced not only be environment, but also by personal beliefs and circumstances. If you think that you are above the MI standard, go ahead, leave. But don't attempt to boost your ego by hurting a school's reputation and making others bear the consquences of your irresponsible actions. After all, it is YOUR choice whether or not YOU want to study. If YOU want it badly enough, why should anything else stop you? Of course, exceptions do exist, especially where a student's circumstances come into question. That is, of course, understandable.

If there are any current/ex-students of MI reading this, let me just say something. If you think that the atmosphere in MI is so dismal and discouraging and not ideal for studying, then i suggest you blame the people who go off and broadcast their opinions to the world and package them as facts. THIS is the real reason why MI will never have a good reputation.

If anyone needs proof, i have seen, among my own schoolmates in MI, people who never give up even when the odds are against them, and people who have failed and picked themselves up. At least they are not blind to the realities of this world and are willing to keep fighting on.

As for you, poor little girl, perhaps you are too young still to understand what this world requires from you. Your lackadaisical attitude is not going to get you anywhere. Before you start to look down on others and their decisions in life, i urge you to take a good look at your own morals (what is left of them, anyway), and seriously start to question if your ways will get you far in life. If i were to continue about your misdemeanors (which everyone is aware of, let me assure you), i could possibly fill up an entire book. That being said, if you think my words were too harsh and pointed that day, then yes, it was meant to be that way. Your silence is proof that my words hit a raw nerve.

I hope for your sake that you wake up soon and realise that this world is a lot harder to survive in than you believe. Maybe this is too much to ask for from someone of your age; fair enough. Then maybe you could start by ditching that sucky attitude of yours for something more positive. Nobody owes you anything so stop acting as though the world is against you. And also, given your age, learn to shut up and speak up at the right times. It'll save you from being on the receiving end of unpleasant words (and also from unnecessarily embarrassing yourself).

I've met many other people your age in the past 1 month or so, who may indeed be young, but their fighting spirit and zest for life despite multiple challenges puts me, many other older teenagers and even young adults, to shame. Learn from them. It'll do you good.