Sure, we can, and should take breaks and have rest because we are still human. We need to fufill our human and physical needs. God has created us this way. But anymore than that, we’re wasting our time.

It’s so easy to go on a journey to pursuit earthly things that ultimately don’t matter to us because it’ll all come down to nothing. It’s so, so hard to not ‘over-rest’. I’m guilty. From now on, I’ll try my best to store treasures in heaven and not on earth. (Matthew 6:19-20)

When the oceans rise and thunders roar
I will soar with you above the storm
Father You are King over the flood
I will be still and know You are God
I will be still and know You are God

In my next life I want to live my life backwards. You start out dead and get that out of the way. Then you wake up in an old people’s home feeling better every day. You get kicked out for being too healthy, go collect your pension, and then when you start work, you get a gold watch and a party on your first day. You work for 40 years until you’re young enough to enjoy your retirement. You party, drink alcohol, and are generally promiscuous, then you are ready for high school. You then go to primary school, you become a kid and play. You have no responsibilities, you become a baby until you are born. And then you spend your last 9 months floating in luxurious spa like conditions with central heating and room service on tap, larger quarters every day and voila! You finish off as an orgasm! I rest my case.
– “Next life” by Woody Allen

How I wish life was like that. But hey, when I die, I’ll go to heaven where God is, and I will find my rest there. Isn’t that better?

I realise that this year’s teachers’ day brings about a whole new meaning to me. When you graduate and move on to the next level of education, on teachers’ day, you think back on how much effort and time the teachers had put on you, hoping that you’ll improve and achieve the best results that you’re capable of. My POA teacher printed so so so many worksheets for us to do (~500-600 pieces of paper? not including ledger papers that I used to do my work) for one year alone. My teachers providing so many work, marking them after office hours, preparing for lessons…

And those are the things that I sometimes took for granted when I was in secondary school. I complained that I had so much work to do, when I only come to realise that in poly, as much as my lecturers do help me sometimes, that no one spoon-feeds me to help me understand the syllabus and get my grades. Teachers pushed me to start learning where in poly, I had to motivate myself to pay attention to lectures and tutorials.

Though I don’t really approve of the MOE system that teachers are kinda forced to teach students in a way that is structured, sometimes boring and grades-orientated, the hearts of all the teachers are genuine and want their students to excel.

Now the race in secondary school education is over, and I can proudly say that I had fought a good fight. I used to think that my O Level results were good, but not exactly fantastic. After today’s reflection, it’s not about the grades that matters, my experience spent with my secondary school teachers (especially when I was in secondary 4) are more important. Because at the end of the day, I’m not going to take my grades with me forever. Grades will become insignificant as time goes by. My memories are valuable because I will take them with me, and keep them close to my heart.

So thank you Miss Lee, Miss Lim, Mr Ang, Miss Li, Mrs Tan, Mrs Lai, Miss Chia. And to all the teachers out there, thank you.

Of course, I didn’t like the parts when I have to wake up at 6am everyday and school started at 7.30am. Or when we have to study subjects that I personally think majority of them are -ahem- useless. Or to study so hard for ‘O’ Level Examinations.

But I miss those times when we would rush to the canteen so that we don’t have to queue (especially the Nasi Padang stall), an unspoken competition every recess of who eats the slowest–usually Ruby–and then he/she would have to clear our plates after our meal. Having band practices, talking crap with friends in the classroom, studying hard together as a group, and rushing to Hougang Point just to get awesome Ramly burgers before remedial classes.

I think I miss them because I know for a fact that those days are gone forever. When I move on and to have new opportunities to get some new experiences (like studying in a polytechnic and doing work with totally different approaches), it only means that I have to let go of old things so that my hands can be free to take new, and better, things.

When I was still in secondary school, people told me to cherish my time left in secondary school, because I’m gonna miss it. And I took their advice. Now, after I had graduated, I realised that no matter how much you cherish them, you’ll still miss them.

So, to current secondary school students out there. Regardless whether you had just entered secondary school months ago or you’re about to take your national examinations–have the time of your life as you’re studying hard at the same time. Remember those moments. So that when you graduate from secondary school or when you’re promoted to the next level, you know that those were good times and will continue making more good–if not better–ones.

Thought this video would never make me laugh, but it did.

Ahh, glad to know and to experience first hand how laughter can be so therapeutic. Spent 2 hours watching TV shows and still feel moody, where only watching that simple, short video can make me feel so much better.

This paper is gonna to be hard, so hard. Probably like being in hell for 1 and a half hours, on earth.
Wait a minute, aren’t I having the fallacy of catastrophic expectations now? So what if I fail this exam? Are the consequences really that bad?
There, I just self-talked to myself.

(I’m applying all the concepts that I’ll be tested on on this post.)

Had a dialogue session with professional social workers who are working with various target groups of Singapore.
In brief, I gained so much insight out of this dialogue session. It further motivates me more to do what I’m doing and be prepared of this profession that is so stressful but yet so rewarding.

This dialogue session has also made me very much aware of this situation in social work sector: how social workers are not recognised, and especially how much people don’t understand and thus, have misconceptions and misunderstands what social workers really do. It can be really frustrating to hear, especially when I’m going to work in this field in 3 years time.
At least now I can see that the new minister is trying to do something about it. At least it’s a start.
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/singaporescene/more-good-hearted-workers-needed-singapore-024528455.html

The combined schools band graduation ceremony happened this morning. After all the weeks of planning, collating information, double/triple/countless-checking of information, etc etc etc, it’s finally over. Being an emcee for the graduation ceremony isn’t an easy job at all. It was a stressful role to play during and before the ceremony. And thank goodness that the venue for the ceremony this year is at Peirce and not at other schools located at the east/west.
But after being so busy and stressed, trying so hard to perfect the ceremony as much as we possible can, to see the graduates enjoying their time and being proud of their bands and themselves…. I guess it’s worth doing it; feels that our hard work has paid off.
All in all, it was stressful and really tiring. But it went well, and the graduands enjoyed their ceremony and that’s all it matters.

Being an emcee anytime soon? Hmm…………
I’ll think twice before saying ‘yes’ to the role.